Digging into dark matter with weak gravitational lensing

TL;DR

This paper reviews recent advances in using weak gravitational lensing observations to detect and study dark matter, highlighting progress from Hubble Space Telescope surveys and discussing future prospects.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive review of recent observational results and discusses future challenges and opportunities in dark matter research through weak lensing.

Findings

Direct proof of dark matter from lensing observations

First measurements of dark matter properties

Progress in gravitational lensing survey techniques

Abstract

Ordinary baryonic particles (such as protons and neutrons) account for only one-sixth of the total matter in the Universe. The remainder is a mysterious "dark matter" component, which does not interact via the electromagnetic force and thus neither emits nor reflects light. However, evidence is mounting for its gravitational influence. The past few years have seen particular progress in observations of weak gravitational lensing, the slight deflection of light from distant galaxies due to the curvature of space around foreground mass. Recent surveys from the Hubble Space Telescope have provided direct proof for dark matter, and the first measurements of its properties. We review recent results, then prospects and challenges for future gravitational lensing surveys.