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Effects of Stellar Collisions on Star Cluster Evolution and Core Collapse

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 September 2007

Sourav Chatterjee
Affiliation:
Department of Physics and Astronomy, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA email: s-chatterjee@northwestern.edu, fregeau@northwestern.edu, rasio@northwestern.edu
John M. Fregeau
Affiliation:
Department of Physics and Astronomy, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA email: s-chatterjee@northwestern.edu, fregeau@northwestern.edu, rasio@northwestern.edu
Frederic A. Rasio
Affiliation:
Department of Physics and Astronomy, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA email: s-chatterjee@northwestern.edu, fregeau@northwestern.edu, rasio@northwestern.edu
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Abstract

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We systematically study the effects of collisions on the overall dynamical evolution of dense star clusters using Monte Carlo simulations over many relaxation times. We derive many observable properties of these clusters, including their core radii and the radial distribution of collision products. We also study different aspects of collisions in a cluster taking into account the shorter lifetimes of more massive stars, which has not been studied in detail before. Depending on the lifetimes of the significantly more massive collision products, observable properties of the cluster can be modified qualitatively; for example, even without binaries, core collapse can sometimes be avoided simply because of stellar collisions.

Type
Contributed Papers
Copyright
Copyright © International Astronomical Union 2008

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