Phonon lifetimes in Cu, Ag, and Au at low and high temperatures were calculated along high symmetry directions using density functional theory combined with second-order perturbation theory. Both harmonic and third-order anharmonic force constants were computed using a supercell small displacement method, and the two-phonon densities of states were calculated for all three-phonon processes consistent with the kinematics of energy and momentum conservation. A nonrigorous Grüneisen model with no q-dependence of the anharmonic coupling constants offers a simple separation of the potential and the kinematics, and proved semiquantitative for Cu, Ag, and Au. A rule is reported for finding the most anharmonic phonon mode in fcc metals
