SnowMass2021

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====== TF09: Astro-particle physics and cosmology ======
Co-Conveners: Dan Green (UCSD), Joshua Ruderman (NYU), Ben Safdi (UM), Jessie Shelton (UIUC)

===== Description=====

We are in a golden age of exploring fundamental physics through astrophysical and cosmological observations. Recent theoretical progress has vastly expanded the techniques, models, experiments, and analyses that we use to explore and understand the universe. In turn, the improved understanding of our universe from the results of these observations informs our understanding of fundamental physics at all scales, from the Planck scale out to cosmological distances.

A central goal is the discovery of the particle nature of dark matter.  Theoretical developments have played a crucial role in shaping the search for dark matter both in the laboratory and in the cosmos. Another primary goal is understanding the dynamics responsible for inflation and understanding the fundamental physics responsible for driving the expansion of the Universe.  Beyond these two primary focus points there are multiple beyond-the-standard-model targets for astrophysical and cosmological observations, such as measuring the non-zero neutrino mass, understanding the dynamics responsible for baryogenesis, and searches for dark sectors. 

Subtopics to be explored:

1) Inflation and Connections to Formal Theory: Inflation is famously sensitive to physics at the Planck scale. Inflationary model building in QFT and String Theory connects questions in fundamental physics and cosmological observables.

2) Data-Driven Cosmology (CMB, LSS, BBN, 21cm): Theoretical tools play a central role in developing new ways to probe the fundamental physics of the universe and disentangling answers about fundamental laws from astrophysical effects.

3) Early Universe Model Building: New models motivated by the hierarchy problem, dark matter, baryogenesis, the strong CP problem, and the experimental landscape inspire new experiments, analyses, and theoretical questions. 

4) Indirect Detection (Cosmology + Astrophysics): Theoretical progress in understanding indirect signatures of dark sectors in astrophysical and cosmological settings, including gravitational and gravitational wave signatures, leads to new analyses and interpretations of current data.     

5) Theory Meets the Lab: The quest to discover signatures of dark sector physics has inspired theorists to develop new experiments and new analyses of existing data.

===== Submitted LOI =====
Here is the list of submitted LOIs to this  topic. 
 First index before "/"  corresponds to the primary frontier used for the submission.
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