Merger-driven DarkCO populations and constraints

Determine the post-merger mass and radius distributions of dark compact objects (DarkCOs) formed in this scenario, including the impact of mergers and accretion on their sizes, and derive the corresponding microlensing and other observational constraints on these merged populations.

Background

In the mass range where halos fragment rather than forming black holes, the model predicts compact, pressure-supported objects (DarkCOs). While the paper applies existing microlensing constraints to the primordial DarkCO population, mergers and accretion could significantly alter their mass–radius distribution and thus their detectability.

Quantifying merger outcomes is essential for accurate mapping to microlensing and CMB bounds that can change with object size and internal structure.