Rogue Worlds Meet the Dark Side: Probing Non-Luminous Compact Populations with Gravitational Microlensing - Nolan Smyth (UCSC)

Abstract: Gravitational microlensing is a powerful probe of non-luminous massive objects. It provides a unique window into macroscopic dark matter, as well as elusive populations of exoplanets that evade traditional detection methods. In this talk, I will cover how existing microlensing surveys have been used to constrain the abundance of primordial black holes and free-floating exoplanets, leading to significant insights into the nature of dark matter and the history of planetary system formation. I will also discuss how the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will usher in a new era of microlensing, providing opportunities to study the demographics of these populations for the first time.