Within the next couple of years, a number of state-of-the-art observatories will deliver cosmological datasets of unprecedented quality and precision (CMB-S4, DESI, eROSITA, Euclid, J-PAS, PAU, Roman Space Telescope, Vera C. Rubin, Simons Observatory, SPT-3G). These data will allow us to shed light on fundamental questions such as the nature of dark energy and dark matter, and the properties of neutrinos, gravity, and the early universe. However, the full power of these surveys will only be reached if theoretical modelling achieves the same level of quality and accuracy as future data.
Cosmological numerical simulations are key to develop such theoretical models and thus are crucial for the interpretation of the upcoming datasets. In this workshop, we propose to bring together experts in numerical simulations, machine learning and statistics, and in data analysis to discuss advances, analysis strategies, and plans for the next decade.
Key questions addressed by the workshop include
i) how to accurately link simulations and observations,
ii) how to understand degeneracies between cosmology and astrophysical effects and how to disentangle them,
iii) what summary statistics are optimal to maximize the information extracted from cosmological datasets.