Abstract
Star clusters can form in highly substructured configurations, possibly unvirialized and possibly with a primordial degree of mass segregation. None the less, a common assumption of many N-body simulations of star clusters is that the clusters are initially spherical, homogeneous and in virial equilibrium. The impact of the choice of the initial conditions on the long-term evolution of the clusters is unclear, considering also that the tidal field plays an important role in setting the mass-loss rate and size of dynamically evolved objects. We present a series direct N-body simulations of star clusters spanning a range of initial degree of clumpiness, virial state and mass segregation and following different trajectories in a realistic galactic tidal field. The results suggest that, even if the choice of the initial conditions has a non-negligible impact, the long-term evolution of a star cluster seems to be dominated by the tidal forces experienced along its trajectory in the host galaxy.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 4441-4449 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society |
| Volume | 468 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Jul 2017 |
Cite this
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Long-term evolution of initially unvirialized, clumpy, mass-segregated star clusters in tidal fields. / Rossi, L. J.; Hurley, J. R.; Bekki, K.
In: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 468, No. 4, 07.2017, p. 4441-4449.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - Long-term evolution of initially unvirialized, clumpy, mass-segregated star clusters in tidal fields
AU - Rossi, L. J.
AU - Hurley, J. R.
AU - Bekki, K.
PY - 2017/7
Y1 - 2017/7
N2 - Star clusters can form in highly substructured configurations, possibly unvirialized and possibly with a primordial degree of mass segregation. None the less, a common assumption of many N-body simulations of star clusters is that the clusters are initially spherical, homogeneous and in virial equilibrium. The impact of the choice of the initial conditions on the long-term evolution of the clusters is unclear, considering also that the tidal field plays an important role in setting the mass-loss rate and size of dynamically evolved objects. We present a series direct N-body simulations of star clusters spanning a range of initial degree of clumpiness, virial state and mass segregation and following different trajectories in a realistic galactic tidal field. The results suggest that, even if the choice of the initial conditions has a non-negligible impact, the long-term evolution of a star cluster seems to be dominated by the tidal forces experienced along its trajectory in the host galaxy.
AB - Star clusters can form in highly substructured configurations, possibly unvirialized and possibly with a primordial degree of mass segregation. None the less, a common assumption of many N-body simulations of star clusters is that the clusters are initially spherical, homogeneous and in virial equilibrium. The impact of the choice of the initial conditions on the long-term evolution of the clusters is unclear, considering also that the tidal field plays an important role in setting the mass-loss rate and size of dynamically evolved objects. We present a series direct N-body simulations of star clusters spanning a range of initial degree of clumpiness, virial state and mass segregation and following different trajectories in a realistic galactic tidal field. The results suggest that, even if the choice of the initial conditions has a non-negligible impact, the long-term evolution of a star cluster seems to be dominated by the tidal forces experienced along its trajectory in the host galaxy.
KW - gravitation
KW - methods: numerical
KW - galaxies: star clusters: general
KW - galaxies: structure
KW - EARLY DYNAMICAL EVOLUTION
KW - YOUNG STELLAR CLUSTERS
KW - GLOBULAR-CLUSTERS
KW - GALAXY MERGERS
KW - MOLECULAR CLOUDS
KW - BROWN DWARFS
KW - SYSTEMS
KW - SUBSTRUCTURE
KW - SIMULATIONS
KW - DISRUPTION
U2 - 10.1093/mnras/stx663
DO - 10.1093/mnras/stx663
M3 - Article
VL - 468
SP - 4441
EP - 4449
JO - Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
JF - Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
SN - 0035-8711
IS - 4
ER -