LIDA · Light on the Dark: Probing Dark Matter, Dark Energy and Dark Ages""

Despite impressive progress in cosmology over the last decade, our understanding of the universe is still limited particularly in some Dark Areas: Dark Matter, Dark Energy & Dark Ages, where progress is particularly difficult. I propose to build a focused research group in a unique environment at the crossroad of astrophysics, cosmology and fundamental physics. The goal is to shade new “Light on the DArk” (LIDA) using new analysis techniques and new observations coming from two complementary surveys.The first survey will target the fifty most massive strong lensing galaxy clusters and will shade new lights: i) on the nature of the Dark Matter through constraints coming from: the detailed mass distribution, the importance of substructures, and possible measurement of Dark Matter particle decay or self-annihilation, ii) on the most distant galaxies and the identification of the nature of the sources participating in the cosmic-reionization and ending the Dark Ages, iii) on the nature of the Dark Energy, through the accurate modeling of numerous multiple images in the best lensing clusters.Second, with wide field imaging and spectroscopic surveys of the galaxy distribution we will probe new cosmological tests: i) the combination of galaxy-galaxy weak lensing and galaxy clustering in the framework of the halo model, ii) the measurement of the angle distribution of galaxy pairs, and thanks to the huge volume probed by the BOSS survey, iii) the test of the isotropy principle at various location of the surveyed volume. Finally we will prepare for the next generation of cosmological surveys by conducting an emission line galaxies redshift survey (e-BOSS) similar as those planned by the future facilities such as BigBOSS and EUCLID.The LIDA project can started now, and will benefit from: new data collected by both space and ground-based telescopes over the next five years, as well as an active and vibrant work location in one of the best ranked university in Europe.""