Mass Segregation Research Articles

Studying binary systems in Omega Centauri with MUSE. I. Detection of spectroscopic binaries

Abstract NGC 5139 (ω Cen), is the closest candidate of a Nuclear Star Cluster that has been stripped of its host galaxy in the Milky Way. Despite extensive studies through the last decades, many open questions about the cluster remain, including the properties of the binary population. In this study we use MUSE multi-epoch spectroscopy to identify binary systems in ω Cen. The observations span 8 years, with a total of 312 248 radial velocity measurements for 37 225 stars. Following the removal of known photometric variables, we identify 275 stars that show RV variations, corresponding to a discovery fraction of $1.4\pm 0.1~{{\%}}$. Using dedicated simulations, we find that our data is sensitive to $70 \pm 10~{{\%}}$ of the binaries expected in the sample, resulting in a completeness-corrected binary fraction of $2.1\pm 0.4~{{\%}}$ in the central region of ω Cen. We find similar binary fractions for all stellar evolutionary stages covered by our data, the only notable exception being the blue straggler stars, which show an enhanced binary fraction. We also find no distinct correlation with distance from the cluster centre, indicating a limited amount of mass segregation within the half-light radius of ω Cen.

Dynamical Evolution of Four Old Galactic Open Clusters Traced by Their Constituent Stars with Gaia DR3

We investigate the evolutionary stages of four open clusters—Berkeley 39, Collinder 261, NGC 6819, and NGC 7789—of ages ranging from 1.6 to 6 Gyr. These clusters have previously been classified into dynamically young and intermediate age groups based on the segregation level of BSS with respect to red-giant-branch stars and main-sequence stars, respectively. We identify members of these four clusters using the ML-MOC algorithm on Gaia DR3 data. To examine the relative segregation of cluster members of different evolutionary stages, we utilize cumulative radial distributions, proper motion distributions, and spatial distributions in galactocentric coordinates. Our analysis shows that Berkeley 39 and NGC 6819 exhibit moderate signs of population-wise segregation from evolved to less-evolved members. NGC 7789 shows signs of mass segregation only in the cumulative radial distributions. On the other hand, Collinder 261 exhibits high segregation of BSS in the cumulative radial distribution, while other populations show the same level of segregation.

A Statistical, Photometric, and SED Analysis to Characterize the BSS Populations in Old Open Cluster: Berkeley 39

ABSTRACT We present a statistical, photometric, and spectral energy distribution (SED) analysis to characterize the blue straggler stars (BSSs) populations in the Galactic old open cluster Berkeley 39. Berkeley 39 is a 6.16 Gyr old open cluster located at a distance of 3.99 Kpc.Gaia DR3 astrometry data have been used to estimate the membership probabilities using ensemble-based unsupervised machine learning techniques. We identified 21 BSS candidates on the colour–magnitude diagram, with 19 of them being detected in the Swift/UVOT UVW2 filter. We analysed the radial surface density profile and examined the cluster dynamical states and mass segregation effect. The SEDs of 19 BSSs are constructed using multiwavelength data covering UV to IR wavelengths. A single-component SED is fitted successfully for 14 BSS candidates. We discovered hot companions in five BSS candidates. These hot companions have temperatures of approximately 14 000 to 23 000 K, radii ranging from 0.04 to 0.13 R$_{\odot }$, and luminosities ranging from 0.16 to 2.91 L$_{\odot }$. Among these, three are most likely extremely low-mass white dwarfs (WDs) with masses around 0.17 to 0.18 M$_{\odot }$, and two are low-mass WDs with masses around 0.18 to 0.39 M$_{\odot }$. This confirms that they are post-mass transfer (Case A or Case B) systems. We also investigated the variable characteristics of BSSs by analysing their light curves using data from TESS. Our analysis confirms that two BSSs identified as eclipsing binaries in Gaia DR3 are indeed eclipsing binaries. Additionally, one of the two eclipsing binary BSSs shows evidence of having hot companions, as indicated by the multiwavelength SEDs.

The formation and evolution of dark star clusters II: The impact of primordial mass segregation

The formation and evolution of dark star clusters II: The impact of primordial mass segregation

Signatures of Mass Segregation from Competitive Accretion and Monolithic Collapse

The two main competing theories proposed to explain the formation of massive (>10 M ⊙) stars—competitive accretion and monolithic core collapse—make different observable predictions for the environment of the massive stars during, and immediately after, their formation. Proponents of competitive accretion have long predicted that the most massive stars should have a different spatial distribution to lower-mass stars, through the stars being either mass segregated or being in areas of higher relative densities or sitting deeper in gravitational potential wells. We test these predictions by analyzing a suite of smoothed-particle hydrodynamics simulations where star clusters form massive stars via competitive accretion with and without feedback. We find that the most massive stars have higher relative densities, and sit in deeper potential wells, only in simulations in which feedback is not present. When feedback is included, only half of the simulations have the massive stars residing in deeper potential wells, and there are no other distinguishing signals in their spatial distributions. Intriguingly, in our simple models for monolithic core collapse, the massive stars may also end up in deeper potential wells because if massive cores fragment then the stars that form are also massive, and dominate their local environs. We find no robust diagnostic test in the spatial distributions of massive stars that can distinguish their formation mechanisms, and so other predictions for distinguishing between competitive accretion and monolithic collapse are required.

Inference of black-hole mass fraction in Galactic globular clusters

Context. Globular clusters (GCs) are suggested to host many stellar-mass black holes (BHs) at their centers, thus resulting in ideal testbeds for BH formation and retention theories. BHs are expected to play a major role in GC structural and dynamical evolution and their study has attracted a lot of attention. In recent years, several works attempted to constrain the BH mass fraction in GCs typically by comparing a single observable (for example, mass segregation proxies) with scaling relations obtained from numerical simulations. Aims. We aim to uncover the possible intrinsic degeneracies in determining the BH mass fraction from single dynamical parameters and identify the possible parameter combinations that are able to break these degeneracies. Methods. We used a set of 101 Monte Carlo simulations sampling a large grid of initial conditions. In particular, we explored the impact of different BH natal kick prescriptions on widely adopted scaling relations. We then compared the results of our simulations with observations obtained using state-of-the-art HST photometric and astrometric catalogs for a sample of 30 Galactic GCs. Results. We find that using a single observable to infer the present-day BH mass fraction in GCs is degenerate, as similar values could be attained by simulations including different BH mass fractions. We argue that the combination of mass-segregation indicators with GC velocity dispersion ratios could help us to break this degeneracy efficiently. We show that such a combination of parameters can be derived with currently available data. However, the limited sample of stars with accurate kinematic measures and its impact on the overall errors do not allow us to discern fully different scenarios yet.

Supermassive black hole formation via collisions in black hole clusters

More than 300 supermassive black holes have been detected at redshifts larger than six, and they are abundant in the centers of local galaxies. Their formation mechanisms, however, are still rather unconstrained. A possible origin of these supermassive black holes could be mergers in dense black hole clusters, forming as a result of mass segregation within nuclear star clusters at the center of galaxies. In this study, we present the first systematic investigation of the evolution of such black hole clusters in which the effect of an external potential is taken into account. Such a potential could be the result of gas inflows into the central region; for example, as a result of galaxy mergers. We show here that the efficiency of the formation of a massive central object is mostly regulated by the ratio of cluster velocity dispersion divided by the speed of light, potentially reaching efficiencies of 0.05–0.08 in realistic systems. Our results show that this scenario is potentially feasible and may provide black hole seeds of at least 103 M⊙. We conclude that the formation of seed black holes via this channel should be taken into account in statistical assessments of the black hole population.

On the Determination of Stellar Mass and Binary Fraction of Open Clusters within 500 pc from the Sun

We investigated the stellar mass function and the binary fraction of 114 nearby open clusters (OCs) using the high-precision photometric data from Gaia Data Release 3 (Gaia DR3). We estimated the mass of member stars by using a ridge line that is better in line with the observed color–magnitude diagram, thus obtaining more accurate stellar mass and binary mass ratio (q) at the low-mass region. By analyzing the present-day mass function (PDMF) of star clusters, we found that 108 OCs follow a two-stage power-law distribution, whereas six OCs present a single power-law PDMF. Subsequently, we fitted the high(low)-mass index of PDMF ( dN/dm∝m−α ), denoted as α h(α l), and segmentation point m c. For our cluster sample, the median values of α h and α l are 2.65 and 0.95, respectively, which are approximately consistent with the initial mass function results provided by Kroupa. We utilized the cumulative radial number distribution of stars with different masses to quantify the degree of mass segregation. We found a significant positive correlation between the state of dynamical evolution and mass segregation in OCs. We also estimated the fraction of binary stars with q ≥ 0.5, ranging from 6% to 34% with a median of 17%. Finally, we provided a catalog of 114 nearby cluster properties, including the total mass, the binary fraction, the PDMF, and the dynamical state.

Low-mass Stellar and Substellar Content of the Young Cluster Berkeley 59

We present a multiwavelength analysis of the young star cluster Berkeley 59, based on Gaia data and deep IR observations with the 3.58 m Telescopio Nazionale Galileo and Spitzer space telescope. The mean proper motion of the cluster is found to be μ α cosδ ∼ −0.63 mas yr−1 and μ δ ∼ −1.83 mas yr−1, and the kinematic distance of the cluster, ∼1 kpc, is in agreement with previous photometric studies. The present data are the deepest available near-IR observations for the cluster so far and reach below 0.03 M ⊙. The mass function of the cluster region is calculated using the statistically cleaned color–magnitude diagram and is similar to the Salpeter value for the member stars above 0.4 M ⊙. In contrast, the slope becomes shallower (Γ ∼ 0.01 ± 0.18) in the mass range 0.04–0.4 M ⊙, comparable to other nearby clusters. The spatial distribution of young brown dwarfs (BDs) and stellar candidates shows a nonhomogeneous distribution. This suggests that the radiation feedback from massive stars may be a prominent factor contributing to the BD population in the cluster Berkeley 59. We also estimated the star-to-BD ratio for the cluster, which is found to be ∼3.6. The Kolmogorov–Smirnov test shows that the stellar and BD populations significantly differ, and stellar candidates are nearer the cluster center compared to the BDs, suggesting mass segregation in the cluster toward the substellar mass regime.

The longevity of the oldest open clusters

Context. The dynamical evolution of open clusters is driven by stellar evolution, internal dynamics, and external forces, which according to dynamical simulations will lead to their evaporation over a timescale of about 1 Ga. However, about 10% of the known open clusters are older. These latter are special systems whose detailed properties are related to their dynamical evolution and the balance between mechanisms of cluster formation and dissolution. Aims. We investigated the spatial distribution and structural parameters of six open clusters older than 1 Ga in order to constrain their dynamical evolution and longevity. Methods. We identified members using Gaia EDR3 data up to a distance of 150 pc from the centre of each cluster. We investigated the spatial distribution of stars inside each cluster to understand their degree of mass segregation. Finally, in order to interpret the obtained radial density profiles, we reproduced them using the lowered isothermal model explorer with PYthon (LIMEPY) and the spherical potential escapers stitched (SPES) models. Results. All the studied clusters appear to be more extended than previously reported in the literature. The spatial distributions of three of them show some structures aligned with their orbits. These structures may be related to the existence of extra tidal stars. Moreover, we find that about 20% of their members have sufficient energy to leave the systems or are already unbound. Together with their initial masses, their distances to the Galactic plane may play significant roles in their survival. We find clear evidence that the most dynamically evolved clusters do not fill their Roche volumes, appearing more concentrated than the others. Finally, we find a cusp–core dichotomy in the central regions of the studied clusters, which shows some similarities to that observed among globular clusters.

Intermediate-mass Black Hole Progenitors from Stellar Collisions in Dense Star Clusters

Very massive stars (VMSs) formed via a sequence of stellar collisions in dense star clusters have been proposed as the progenitors of massive black hole seeds. VMSs could indeed collapse to form intermediate-mass black holes, which would then grow by accretion to become the supermassive black holes observed at the centers of galaxies and powering high-redshift quasars. Previous studies have investigated how different cluster initial conditions affect the formation of a VMS, including mass segregation, stellar collisions, and binaries, among others. In this study, we investigate the growth of VMSs with a new grid of Cluster Monte Carlo star cluster simulations—the most expansive to date. The simulations span a wide range of initial conditions, varying the number of stars, cluster density, stellar initial mass function (IMF), and primordial binary fraction. We find a gradual shift in the mass of the most massive collision product across the parameter space; in particular, denser clusters born with top-heavy IMFs provide strong collisional regimes that form VMSs with masses easily exceeding 1000 M ⊙. Our results are used to derive a fitting formula that can predict the typical mass of a VMS formed as a function of the star cluster properties. Additionally, we study the stochasticity of this process and derive a statistical distribution for the mass of the VMS formed in one of our models, recomputing the model 50 times with different initial random seeds.

Dynamics of star clusters with tangentially anisotropic velocity distribution

Recent high-precision observations with HST and Gaia enabled new investigations of the internal kinematics of star clusters (SCs) and the dependence of kinematic properties on the stellar mass. These studies raised new questions about the dynamical evolution of self-gravitating stellar systems. We aim to develop a more complete theoretical understanding of how the various kinematical properties of stars affect the global dynamical development of their host SCs. We perform $N$-body simulations of globular clusters with isotropic, radially anisotropic, and tangentially anisotropic initial velocity distributions. We also study the effect of an external Galactic tidal field. We obtain three main results. First, compared to the conventional, isotropic case, the relaxation processes are accelerated in the tangentially anisotropic models and, in agreement with our previous investigations, are slower in the radially anisotropic ones. This leads to, for example, more rapid mass segregation in the central regions of the tangential models or their earlier core collapse. Second, although all SCs become isotropic in the inner regions after several relaxation times, we observe differences in the anisotropy profile evolution in the outer cluster regions --- all tidally filling models gain tangential anisotropy there, while the underfilling models become radially anisotropic. Third, we observe different rates of evolution towards energy equipartition (EEP). While all SCs evolve towards EEP in their inner regions (regardless of the filling factor), the outer regions of the tangentially anisotropic and isotropic models are evolving to an `inverted' EEP (i.e.\ with the high-mass stars having higher velocity dispersion than the low-mass ones). The extent (both spatial and temporal) of this inversion can be attributed to the initial velocity anisotropy --- it grows with increasing tangential anisotropy and decreases as the radial anisotropy rises.

Detection of open cluster members inside and beyond tidal radius by machine learning methods based on Gaia DR3

ABSTRACT In our previous work, we introduced a method that combines two unsupervised algorithms: Density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise (DBSCAN) and Gaussian mixture model (GMM). We applied this method to 12 open clusters based on Gaia Early Data Release 3 (EDR3) data, demonstrating its effectiveness in identifying reliable cluster members within the tidal radius. However, for studying cluster morphology, we need a method capable of detecting members both inside and outside the tidal radius. By incorporating a supervised algorithm into our approach, we successfully identified members beyond the tidal radius. In our current work, we initially applied DBSCAN and GMM to identify reliable members of cluster stars. Subsequently, we trained the random forest algorithm using DBSCAN- and GMM-selected data. Leveraging the random forest, we can identify cluster members outside the tidal radius and observe cluster morphology across a wide field of view. Our method was then applied to 15 open clusters based on Gaia DR3, which exhibit a wide range of metallicity, distances, members, and ages. Additionally, we calculated the tidal radius for each of the 15 clusters using the King profile and detected stars both inside and outside this radius. Finally, we investigated mass segregation and luminosity distribution within the clusters. Overall, our approach significantly improved the estimation of the tidal radius and detection of mass segregation compared to the previous work. We found that in Collinder 463, low-mass stars do not segregate in comparison to high-mass and intermediate-mass stars. Additionally, we detected a peak of luminosity in the clusters, some of which were located far from the centre, beyond the tidal radius.

CCD UBV(RI)KC photometry and dynamics of the open cluster NGC 1513

ABSTRACT We derive astrophysical parameters of the open cluster NGC 1513 by means of colour indices built with new CCD UBV(RI)KC photometry. Based on early-type members, the mean foreground reddening and total to selective extinction ratio are E(B − V) = 0.79 ± 0.09 mag and RV = 2.85 ± 0.05. Through the differential grid method, we derive the metal abundance [Fe/H] = −0.06 dex (Z = +0.013), which is consistent with the value [Fe/H] = −0.088 of the bright giant member – LAMOST 695710060. Z = +0.013 isochrone fit to the V × (B − V) colour–magnitude diagram leads to a turn-off age of 224 ± 27 Myr (thus an intermediate-age cluster), and a distance modulus of (V0 − MV) = 10.90 ± 0.15 mag, thus implying a distance from the Sun d = 1514 ± 105 pc. Within the uncertainties, our photometric distance is consistent with the value d = 1435 ± 14 pc from the Gaia DR3 parallax. We find signs of small mass segregation through a minimum spanning tree analysis for the 190 most massive stars, together with the rather steep mass function (χ = +2.39) slope. The high core to half-light radius ratio Rcore/Rh = 0.82, together with the compact half-light to tidal radius ratio Rh/Rt = 0.22, suggest that it is probably related to cluster-formation effects, due to little dynamical evolution, instead of driving its dynamical evolution by internal relaxation. Indeed, NGC 1513 is located in the second quadrant (ℓ = 152${_{.}^{\circ}}$59 and Galactocentric distance RGC = 9.57 kpc), which tends to minimize tidal effects by external processes and tidal disruption. Therefore, internal mass segregation effects in NGC 1513 seem to be more efficient than cluster evaporation processes. We find that NGC 1513 migrated about 0.50 kpc from its birth place.

Mass segregation and velocity dispersion as evidence for a dark star cluster

ABSTRACT A dark star cluster (DSC) is a system in which the cluster potential is dominated by stellar remnants, such as black holes and neutron stars having larger masses than the long-lived low-mass stars. Due to mass segregation, these remnants are located in the central region of the cluster and form a dark core. We expect that at a few kpc from the Galactic Centre, the efficient evaporation of the lower-mass stars caused by the strong tidal force exposes the dark core, because the dynamical properties of the DSC are dominated by the remnants. Due to the invisibility of the remnants, finding a DSC by observation is challenging. In this project, we use N-body simulations to obtain models of DSCs and try to discern observables that signify a DSC. We consider four observables: the mass spectrum, the observational mass density profile, the observational velocity dispersion profile and the mass segregation. The models show that a DSC typically exhibits two distinct characteristics: for a given mass in stars and a given half-light radius, the expected velocity dispersion is underestimated when only visible stars are considered, and there is a lack of measurable mass segregation among the stars. These properties can be helpful for finding DSCs in observational data, such as the Gaia catalogue.

Investigating Mass Segregation of the Binary Stars in the Open Cluster NGC 6819

We search for mass segregation in the intermediate-aged open cluster NGC 6819 within a carefully identified sample of probable cluster members. Using photometry from Gaia, Pan-STARRS, and the Two Micron All Sky Survey as inputs for a Bayesian statistics software suite, BASE-9, we identify a rich population of (photometric) binaries and derive posterior distributions for the cluster age, distance, metallicity, and reddening, as well as star-by-star photometric membership probabilities, masses, and mass ratios (for binaries). Within our entire sample, we identify 2632 cluster members and 777 binaries. We then select a main-sequence “primary sample” with 14.85 <G < 19.5, containing 1342 cluster members and 250 binaries with mass ratios q > 0.5, to investigate mass segregation. Within this primary sample, we find the binary radial distribution is significantly shifted toward the cluster center as compared to the single stars, resulting in a binary fraction that increases significantly toward the cluster core. Furthermore, we find that within the binary sample, more massive binaries have more centrally concentrated radial distributions than less massive binaries. The same is true for the single stars. We verify the expectation of mass segregation for this stellar sample in NGC 6819 through both relaxation time arguments and by investigating a sophisticated N-body model of the cluster. Importantly, this is the first study to investigate mass segregation of the binaries in the open cluster NGC 6819.

HST Survey of the Orion Nebula Cluster in ACS/Visible and WFC3/IR Bands. IV. A Bayesian Multiwavelength Study of Stellar Parameters in the Orion Nebula Cluster

We have performed a comprehensive study of the Orion Nebula Cluster (ONC) combining the photometric data obtained by the two Hubble Space Telescope Treasury programs that targeted this region. To consistently analyze the rich data set obtained in a wide variety of filters, we adopted a Bayesian approach to fit the spectral energy distribution of the sources, deriving mass, age, extinction, distance, and accretion for each source in the region. The three-dimensional study of mass distribution for bona fide cluster members shows that mass segregation in the ONC extends to subsolar masses, while the age distribution strongly supports the idea that star formation in the ONC is best described by a major episode of star formation that happened ∼1 Myr ago. For masses ≳0.1 M ⊙, our derived empirical initial mass function (IMF) is in good agreement with a Chabrier system IMF. Both the accretion luminosity (L acc) and mass accretion rates ( Ṁacc ) are best described by broken power-law relations. This suggests that for the majority of young circumstellar disks in this cluster the excess emission may be dominated by X-ray-driven photoevaporation by the central star rather than external photoevaporation. If this is the case, the slopes of the power-law relations may be largely determined by the initial conditions set at the onset of the star formation process, which may be quite similar between regions that eventually form clusters of different sizes.

Exploring NGC 2345: A Comprehensive Study of a Young Open Cluster through Photometric and Kinematic Analysis

We conducted a photometric and kinematic analysis of the young open cluster NGC 2345 using CCD UBV data from 2 m Himalayan Chandra Telescope, Gaia Data Release 3, Two Micron All-Sky Survey, and the Photometric All-Sky Survey data sets. We found 1732 most probable cluster members with membership probability higher than 70%. The fundamental and structural parameters of the cluster are determined based on the cluster members. The mean proper motion of the cluster is estimated to be μαcosδ = −1.34 ± 0.20 and μ δ = 1.35 ± 0.21 mas yr−1. Based on the radial density profile, the estimated radius is ∼12.′8 (10.37 pc). Using color–color and color–magnitude diagrams, we estimate the reddening, age, and distance to be 0.63 ± 0.04 mag, 63 ± 8 Myr, and 2.78 ± 0.78 kpc, respectively. The mass function slope for main-sequence stars is determined as 1.2 ± 0.1. The mass function slope in the core, halo, and overall region indicates a possible hint of mass segregation. The cluster’s dynamical relaxation time is 177.6 Myr, meaning ongoing mass segregation, with complete equilibrium expected in 100–110 Myr. Apex coordinates are determined as −40.°89 ± 0.12, − 44.°99 ± 0.15. The cluster’s orbit in the Galaxy suggests early dissociation into field stars due to its close proximity to the Galactic disk.

A review of the Dutch sociologist Hein de Hass's new book, (How Migration Really Works: A Factful Guide to the Most Divisive Issue in Politics).

In his new book (How Migration Really Works), that divided into three parts and contains 22 chapters, based on research and data de Haas debunks 22 myths about migration and reveals the truth. The first myth that de Haas focuses on is: (Migration is at an all-time high). The second myth the author talks about is that (borders cannot be controlled). He continues and in Myth 11: (Mass migration has produced mass segregation) de Haas discusses the myth and argues that "segregation is not alarmingly high". In Myth 16: (Borders are closing down) and Myth 21: (Border restrictions reduce immigration) he tries to debunk these myths based on research and data. (Climate change will lead to mass migration) is the last of the myths that he deals with in his book.

Constrain the Dark-matter Distribution of Ultra-diffuse Galaxies with Globular-cluster Mass Segregation: A Case Study with NGC5846-UDG1

The properties of globular clusters (GCs) contain valuable information of their host galaxies and dark-matter halos. In the remarkable example of ultra-diffuse galaxy, NGC5846-UDG1, the GC population exhibits strong radial mass segregation, indicative of dynamical-friction-driven orbital decay, which opens the possibility of using imaging data alone to constrain the dark-matter content of the galaxy. To explore this possibility, we develop a semianalytical model of GC evolution, which starts from the initial mass, structural, and spatial distributions of the GC progenitors, and follows the effects of dynamical friction, tidal evolution, and two-body relaxation. Using Markov Chain Monte Carlo, we forward-model the GCs in a UDG1-like potential to match the observed GC statistics, and to constrain the profile of the host halo and the origin of the GCs. We find that, with the assumptions of zero mass segregation when the star clusters were born, UDG1 is relatively dark-matter-poor compared to what is expected from stellar-to-halo–mass relations, and its halo concentration is lower than the cosmological average, irrespective of having a cuspy or a cored profile. Its GC population has an initial spatial distribution more extended than the smooth stellar distribution. We discuss the results in the context of scaling laws of galaxy–halo connections, and warn against naively using the GC-abundance–halo–mass relation to infer the halo mass of ultra-diffuse galaxies. Our model is generally applicable to GC-rich dwarf galaxies, and is publicly available.