The Early Stages of Post-Collapse Cluster Evolution

Abstract

We present here some recent (and very preliminary) finding from a study of the stages of the post-core-collapse evolution of an isolated cluster of identical point “stars”. The method used to follow the behavior of the system is the unified N-body/statistical treatment described in detail by McMillan and Lightman (1984a) and by Lightman and McMillan elsewhere in this volume. Briefly, the method combines the standard “large-N” and “small-N” approaches to the problem in the régimes where they are appropriate by treating the inner regions (r < r_N) exactly with a regularized Aarseth N-body code (Aarseth, 1972), while permitting stars at greater and greater radii to retain less and less of their individual identities, ultimately treating the outer portions of the system (r > Kr_N) in an almost purely statistical fashion.