Galactic Nuclei Formation Via Globular Cluster Merging
Abstract
Preliminary results are presented about a fully self-consistent N-body simulation of a sample of four massive globular clusters in close interaction within the central region of a galaxy. The N-body representation (with N=1.5x10^6 particles in total) of both the clusters and the galaxy allows to include in a natural and self-consistent way dynamical friction and tidal interactions. The results confirm the decay and merging of globulars as a viable scenario for the formation/accretion of compact nuclear clusters. Specifically: i) the frictional orbital decay is about 2 times faster than that predicted by the generalized Chandrasekhar formula; ii) the progenitor clusters merge in less than 20 galactic core-crossing times; iii) the NC configuration keeps quasi-stable at least within 70 galactic core-crossing times.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.0901.4932,
title = {Galactic Nuclei Formation Via Globular Cluster Merging},
author = {R. Capuzzo-Dolcetta and P. Miocchi},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0901.4932},
year = {2009}
}
Comments
Invited talk at the Meeting "Computational Astrophysics in Italy: results and perspectives", INAF, Roma, march, 12, 2008; to be published in the Proceedings of the meeting in an issue of Mem. S.A.It. Suppl., U. Becciani ed.. The paper consists of 4 pages, including 5 eps figures