Constraining cold dark matter halo merger rates using the coagulation equations

We place additional constraints on the three parameters of the dark matter halo merger rate function recently proposed by Parkinson, Cole & Helly by utilizing Smoluchowski's coagulation equation, which must be obeyed by any binary merging process which conserves mass. We find that the constraints from Smoluchowski's equation are degenerate, limiting to a thin plane in the three-dimensional parameter space. This constraint is consistent with those obtained from fitting to N -body measures of progenitor mass functions, and provides a better match to the evolution of the overall dark matter halo mass function, particularly for the most massive haloes. We demonstrate that the proposed merger rate function does not permit an exact solution of Smoluchowski's equation and, therefore, the choice of parameters must reflect a compromise between fitting various parts of the mass function. The techniques described herein are applicable to more general merger rate functions, which may permit a more accurate solution of Smoluchowski's equation. The current merger rate solutions are most probably sufficiently accurate for the vast majority of applications.     

火山地震活动的实验室模拟

火山体内产生地震活动的物理过程非常复杂,目前仍然没有被完全理解。我们在实验室内用来自埃特纳火山(意大利)的玄武岩做了变形和破碎实验并报道了实验结果。该实验用一组围绕样品的传感器监测,以完成全波形记录及微震事件定位和分析。充满液体的孔隙和损伤区快速破裂后减压激发了许多低频事件,类似于长周期火山地震活动。低频事件与孔隙流体的减压有关,位于破裂样本的损伤区;这些事件都具有一个弱剪切滑动分量(双力偶),与发生在活火山下的流体驱动事件相一致。