| Abstract: |
Understanding the nature of dark matter is one of the biggest open problems in contemporary physics. Astronomical observations are currently the best means through which we can constrain dark matter models, but in order to accomplish this goal, a deep knowledge of the connection between dark and baryonic matter in the Universe is required. This includes determining how dark matter affects the evolution of galaxies and, vice versa, how baryonic physics processes modify the distribution of dark matter in and around galaxies. Observationally, unveiling the galaxy-dark matter halo connection presents many challenges. While some of these challenges are purely set by limitations in the current observational facilities, other challenges have a modeling and data analysis nature. I will first show how an empirical forward modeling approach can be used to effectively address complex problems in galaxy evolution. I will then show successful examples of such an approach, applied to weak and strong lensing data from the Hyper Suprime-Cam survey, is helping us understand the formation and evolution of massive quiescent galaxies. Finally, I will discuss how new data from HSC and upcoming instruments like PFS will enable us to improve our knowledge of the galaxy-halo connection in the next decade. |
