Dark Matter Halo Substructure: A Key to Fundamental Physics and Galaxy Formation

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AST-0602122Zentner, AndrewDr. Zentner is awarded an NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowship to carry out a program of research and education at the Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics at the University of Chicago. The formation of galaxies, the nature of dark matter and the physics of the inflationary epoch remain cosmological puzzles. The explosion of recent and forthcoming data from numerous observational programs places a burden on theorists for testable predictions. Studying dark matter halo structure and substructure leads to profound connections among these fields. Dr. Zentner will undertake detailed theoretical studies of the formation of dark matter halos, particularly halo substructure and satellite galaxies, that will yield fundamental improvements in our understanding of galaxy formation and that will constrain dark matter properties and inflation. These studies aim to make definitive predictions for the properties of dark matter subhalos and galaxy observables in the standard cold dark matter cosmology and selected alternative models. The primary tools for these studies are: (1) high-resolution cosmological numerical simulations of halo assembly; (2) targeted simulations of subhalo and galaxy evolution within larger systems; and (3) analytic models of halo merging and substructure evolution. These studies have several revolutionary aspects, including resolving phase-space-limited cores in self-consistent simulations of alternative dark matter and improving the basic framework of halo merger statistics that forms the foundation of most galaxy formation models.Dr. Zentner will also undertake an educational program at Chicago's Young Women's Leadership Charter School (YWLCS) aimed at encouraging urban young women to pursue careers in science. In collaboration with YWLCS faculty, Dr. Zentner will introduce astrophysical sciences into the YWLCS curriculum at two grade levels, primarily in the fall semesters. In the spring, Dr. Zentner will mentor small groups of YWLCS students in intensive astronomy- and astrophysics-related term projects.