Abstract

We summarize recent numerical studies on the gravitational N-body problem for small stellar systems containing up to 500 stars. The principal aims and fundamental problems of this experimental approach to the dynamical evolution of stellar systems are discussed. The properties of the investigated star cluster models are described and the general results of numerical N-body experiments are reviewed. A quantitative comparison between the experimental results and the predictions of statistical theories is carried out for the evolution of the density distribution and for escaping stars of isolated, spherical star clusters. The simulation of the dynamical evolution of open clusters, with special emphasis on the resulting total lifetimes, and of clusters of galaxies are discussed.

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