Kiyan Tavangar (Columbia)

Stellar streams have often been touted as the only structures that can probe the low mass end of the dark matter subhalo function because stream-subhalo interactions would create inhomogeneities in streams. However, as we continue to find ways to create inhomogeneities that do not involve dark matter, it has unfortunately become clear that definitively linking an individual stream inhomogeneity to a dark matter subhalo interaction is virtually impossible. What still holds significant promise are statistical analyses of the stellar stream population. I will present my new stream modeling framework that characterizes stellar stream astrometric and density tracks. The framework is flexible, accessible, and computationally tractable, giving us a quick way to build a catalog of stream models and their inhomogeneities that can be used for population analyses. I will then discuss the myriad science applications such a catalog could have, from understanding stream formation to constraining dark matter.