Astrophysical constraints on the nature of dark matter

这个项目的目标是揭示可能限制，甚至可能揭示暗物质身份的天体物理学观测值。它将侧重于几个关键的诊断：小质量暗物质晕，矮星系和恒星晕。小质量的暗物质晕和矮星系是相关的，因为它们主要由暗物质组成，并且如果暗物质是冷的或热的，预计会有不同的属性。恒星晕是相关的，因为它们是由较小星系合并而成的星系集合的化石记录-它们的性质也可能取决于暗物质的性质。该项目主要是理论性的，但可能需要对真实的天文数据进行一些分析。寻找小质量暗物质晕将依赖于强引力透镜技术，而其他两个诊断将严重依赖于宇宙学模拟，无论是使用N体模拟，遵循暗物质的演化和气体动力学模拟，此外，重子（或普通）材料的演化，以及观测数据可能来自DESI项目，其中达勒姆是一个成员。模拟在技术上是具有挑战性的，但我们在达勒姆有一个新的大型超级计算机-宇宙机- 8 -和一个新的代码，SWIFT，这将使宇宙学模拟的数量级比今天可能的更大。

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 evolutionof 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.