Astrophysical constraints on the nature of dark matter

The goal of this project is to uncover astrophysical observables that might constrain, or perhaps even reveal the identity of the dark matter. It will focus on several key diagnostics: small mass dark matter halos, dwarf galaxies and stellar halos. Small mass dark matter halos and dwarf galaxies are relevant because they are mostly made of dark matter and are expected to have different properties if the dark matter is cold or warm. Stellar halos are relevant because they are the fossil record of the assembly of galaxies by the merger of smaller galaxies - their properties too might depend on the nature of the dark matter.

The project is primarily theoretical but some analysis of real astronomical data may be required. The search for small mass dark matter halos will rely on strong gravitational lensing techniques while the two other diagnostics will rely heavily on cosmological simulations, both using N-body simulations that follow the evolution
of the dark matter and gasdynamic simulations that follow, in addition, the evolution of baryonic (or ordinary) material, and on observational data perhaps from the DESI project of which Durham is a member. The simulations are technically challenging but we have a new large supercomputer at Durham - the Cosmology machine- 8 -- and a new code, SWIFT, that will enable cosmological simulations an order of magnitude larger than is possible today.