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  1. Abstract

    Understanding the formation of stellar clusters requires following the interplay between gas and newly formed stars accurately. We therefore couple the magnetohydrodynamics codeFLASHto theN-body codeph4and the stellar evolution codeSeBausing the Astrophysical Multipurpose Software Environment (AMUSE) to model stellar dynamics, evolution, and collisionalN-body dynamics and the formation of binary and higher-order multiple systems, while implementing stellar feedback in the form of radiation, stellar winds, and supernovae inFLASH. We here describe the algorithms used for each of these processes. We denote this integrated package Torch. We then use this novel numerical method to simulate the formation and early evolution of several examples of open clusters of ∼1000 stars formed from clouds with a mass range of 103Mto 105M. Analyzing the effects of stellar feedback on the gas and stars of the natal clusters, we find that in these examples, the stellar clusters are resilient to disruption, even in the presence of intense feedback. This can even slightly increase the amount of dense, Jeans unstable gas by sweeping up shells; thus, a stellar wind strong enough to trap its own H iiregion shows modest triggering of star formation. Our clusters are born moderately mass segregated, an effect enhanced by feedback, and retained after the ejection of their natal gas, in agreement with observations.

     
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  2. null (Ed.)
    ABSTRACT The fraction of stars in binary systems within star clusters is important for their evolution, but what proportion of binaries form by dynamical processes after initial stellar accretion remains unknown. In previous work, we showed that dynamical interactions alone produced too few low-mass binaries compared to observations. We therefore implement an initial population of binaries in the coupled magnetohydrodynamics and direct N-body star cluster formation code torch. We compare simulations with, and without, initial binary populations and follow the dynamical evolution of the binary population in both sets of simulations, finding that both dynamical formation and destruction of binaries take place. Even in the first few million years of star formation, we find that an initial population of binaries is needed at all masses to reproduce observed binary fractions for binaries with mass ratios above the q ≥ 0.1 detection limit. Our simulations also indicate that dynamical interactions in the presence of gas during cluster formation modify the initial distributions towards binaries with smaller primary masses, larger mass ratios, smaller semimajor axes and larger eccentricities. Systems formed dynamically do not have the same properties as the initial systems, and systems formed dynamically in the presence of an initial population of binaries differ from those formed in simulations with single stars only. Dynamical interactions during the earliest stages of star cluster formation are important for determining the properties of binary star systems. 
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  3. null (Ed.)
  4. null (Ed.)
    Aims. We perform a simulation using the Astrophysical Multipurpose Software Environment of the Orion Trapezium star cluster in which the evolution of the stars and the dynamics of planetary systems are taken into account. Methods. The initial conditions from earlier simulations were selected in which the size and mass distributions of the observed circumstellar disks in this cluster are satisfactorily reproduced. Four, five, or size planets per star were introduced in orbit around the 500 solar-like stars with a maximum orbital separation of 400 au. Results. Our study focuses on the production of free-floating planets. A total of 357 become unbound from a total of 2522 planets in the initial conditions of the simulation. Of these, 281 leave the cluster within the crossing timescale of the star cluster; the others remain bound to the cluster as free-floating intra-cluster planets. Five of these free-floating intra-cluster planets are captured at a later time by another star. Conclusions. The two main mechanisms by which planets are lost from their host star, ejection upon a strong encounter with another star or internal planetary scattering, drive the evaporation independent of planet mass of orbital separation at birth. The effect of small perturbations due to slow changes in the cluster potential are important for the evolution of planetary systems. In addition, the probability of a star to lose a planet is independent of the planet mass and independent of its initial orbital separation. As a consequence, the mass distribution of free-floating planets is indistinguishable from the mass distribution of planets bound to their host star. 
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