Re-Examining Astrophysical Constraints on the Dark Matter Model
  Recent high-resolution simulations that include Cold Dark Matter (CDM) and
baryons have shown that baryonic physics can dramatically alter the dark matter
structure of galaxies. These results modify our predictions for observed galaxy
evolution and structure. Given these updated expectations, it is timely to
re-examine observational constraints on the dark matter model. A few
observations are reviewed that may indirectly trace dark matter, and may help
confirm or deny possible dark matter models. Warm Dark Matter (WDM) and
Self-Interacting Dark Matter (SIDM) are currently the favorite alternative
models to CDM. Constraints on the WDM particle mass require it to be so heavy
that WDM is nearly indistinguishable from CDM. The best observational test of
SIDM is likely to be in the dark matter distribution of faint dwarf galaxies,
but there is a lack of theoretical predictions for galaxy structure in SIDM
that account for the role of baryons.
