Stellar-Mass Black Holes in Globular Clusters: Dynamical Consequences and Observational Signatures
Abstract
Sizeable number of stellar-mass black holes (BHs) in globular clusters (GCs) can strongly influence the dynamical evolution and observational properties of their host cluster. Using results from a large set of numerical simulations, we identify the key ingredients needed to sustain a sizeable population of BHs in GCs up to a Hubble time. We find that while BH natal kick prescriptions are essential in determining the initial retention fraction of BHs in GCs, the long-term survival of BHs is determined by the size, initial central density and half-mass relaxation time of the GC. Simulated GC models that contain many BHs are characterized by relatively low central surface brightness, large half-light and core radii values. We also discuss novel ways to compare simulated results with available observational data to identify GCs that are most likely to contain many BHs.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.1907.13380,
title = {Stellar-Mass Black Holes in Globular Clusters: Dynamical Consequences and Observational Signatures},
author = {Abbas Askar and Mirek Giersz and Manuel Arca Sedda and Ammar Askar and Mario Pasquato and Agostino Leveque},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1907.13380},
year = {2020}
}
Comments
4 pages, 2 figures, 1 table. Contribution to the proceedings of the IAU Symposium No. 351: "Star Clusters: from the Milky Way to the Early Universe"