RESEARCH INSTITUTE

Accelerating the First Dark Matter Science with the Vera C. Rubin Observatory

Project Title: Accelerating the First Dark Matter Science with the Vera C. Rubin Observatory
PI: Alex Drlica-Wagner
Award Type: 1-Year IIRP-Based
Department: Astronomy & Astrophysics
Division/School: Physical Sciences
Start Year: 2026
Description:

The nature of dark matter, which comprises 25% of the matter-energy density of the Universe, is one of the greatest mysteries in physics and astronomy. The Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) on the newly constructed Rubin Observatory in Chile has the potential to revolutionize our understanding of the distribution and fundamental nature of dark matter in the universe. The Rubin observatory started collecting commissioning data last year, and access to this early data is expected in late 2026. We will host a hands-on workshop at the John W. Boyer Center in Paris to bring together scientists from the U.S. and Europe to rapidly develop and deploy data analysis pipelines to study dark matter with the early Rubin data. This program builds on past collaborative work between groups in Chicago and France, and will help to expand the network of dark matter scientists across Europe.