Journal article
The effect of orbital eccentricity on the dynamical evolution of star clusters
Abstract
We use N-body simulations to explore the influence of orbital eccentricity on the dynamical evolution of star clusters. Specifically, we compare the mass-loss rate, velocity dispersion, relaxation time, and the mass function of star clusters on circular and eccentric orbits. For a given perigalactic distance, increasing orbital eccentricity slows the dynamical evolution of a cluster due to a weaker mean tidal field. However, we find that …
Authors
Webb JJ; Leigh N; Sills A; Harris WE; Hurley JR
Journal
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 442, No. 2, pp. 1569–1577
Publisher
Oxford University Press (OUP)
Publication Date
August 1, 2014
DOI
10.1093/mnras/stu961
ISSN
0035-8711