- Nov. 22, 2021, 2:00 pm US/Central
- Ethan Nadler, Carnegie Observatories
Abstract: The distribution of structure on extremely small scales in the local universe is sensitive to early universe physics and dark matter particle properties. I will describe a research program aimed at reconstructing primordial density fluctuations using near-field cosmology, and particularly using the abundance of nearby ultra-faint dwarf galaxies. This includes the development of an efficient semi-analytic model to generate subhalo and satellite galaxy populations constrained by key characteristics of the Milky Way, calibrated on cosmological simulations that satisfy these same constraints and tailored for cosmological inference. I will also describe a new zoom-in simulation suite that includes Large Magellanic Cloud and strong lens analogs for the first time to enable complementary studies using other small-scale structure probes.