Theory seminar: Towards an effective theory of structure formation

Jesús Zavala Franco, University of Copenhagen [slides]

Although there is substantial gravitational evidence for the existence of dark matter, its nature as a new particle beyond the Standard Model remains one of the biggest mysteries in modern astrophysics. The favourite theoretical model, Cold Dark Matter (CDM), assumes that non-gravitational dark matter interactions are irrelevant for galaxy formation and evolution.

Surprisingly, there is no strong evidence for the CDM hypothesis. Current astronomical observations allow significant departures that have a relevant impact on our understanding of how galaxies form and evolve. Moreover, the observed properties of the smallest galaxies have been consistently in conflict with the predictions of the CDM model.

In this talk, I will argue that to explain galaxy formation and evolution in the broadest sense, an effective dark matter theory must contain a wider range of dark matter particle physics without spoiling the success of CDM in reproducing the large-scale structure of the Universe, while addressing its outstanding challenges at the scales of individual galaxies.