Abstract
Merger process of binary globular cluster is discussed for a pair of unequal-mass components. We calculated the case of mass ratio 1∶0.5 by means of anN-body code with 6144 particles in total. We have found the followings. The mass exchange between the components takes place through the Roche-lobe overflow. In the early stages, however, the dynamical evolution is mainly governed by escape of particles from the system. As the particles escape carrying angular momentum with them, the separation between the component cluster shrinks. The time-scale of this shrinkage depends upon the size of the clusters. When a critical separation is reached, the orbital angular momentum is transferred unstably to the spins of the component clusters. This is the process of the synchronization instability which was found in a previous study on binary cluster of equal masses. As a result the component clusters merge into a single cluster. The structures of the mergers are quite similar among different cases except for the central cores which retain their initial central concentrations. In particular, the ellipticity and the rotation curve are quite close each other among models of different initial radii and of different mass ratios.
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Makino, J., Akiyama, K. & Sugimoto, D. Merger of binary globular clusters: Case of unequal masses. Astrophys Space Sci 185, 63–78 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00642706
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00642706