The time-scale for core collapse in spherical star clusters

Abstract

The collapse time for a cluster of equal-mass stars is usually stated to be either 330 central relaxation times (trc) or 12-19 half-mass relaxation times (trh). But the first of these times applies only to the late stage of core collapse, and the second only to low-concentration clusters. To clarify how the time depends on the density profile, the Fokker-Planck equation is solved for the evolution of a variety of isotropic cluster models, including King models, models with power-law density cusps of ρ ∼ r−γ, and models with nuclei. The collapse times for King models vary considerably with the cluster concentration when expressed in units of trc or trh, but vary much less when expressed in units of trc divided by a dimensionless measure of the temperature gradient in the core. Models with cusps have larger temperature gradients and evolve faster than King models, but not all of them collapse: those with 0 < γ < 2 expand because they start with a temperature inversion. Models with nuclei collapse or expand as the nuclei would in isolation if their central relaxation times are short; otherwise their evolution is more complicated. Suggestions are made for how the results can be applied to globular clusters, galaxies, and clusters of dark objects in the centers of galaxies.Scott D. Tremaine