Abstract
Theoretical arguments are given indicating that many dense globular clusters have already gone through core collapse and are now slowly expanding. The energy needed for this bounce is provided by formation and subsequent hardening of hard binaries, analogous to the onset of hydrogen burning in stars after an initial gravitational contraction phase. The observed distribution of central relaxation times of globular clusters is compared with a simple 'bounce' model for post-core collapse evolution. This model predicts that a substantial fraction of all clusters with a present central relaxation time of less than 10 to the 8th yr have already undergone core collapse. Observational implications for the surface brightness profiles of postcollapse clusters are also discussed. Both the distribution of central relaxation times of the cluster system and the brightness profiles of individual clusters are in good agreement with the bounce model.
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