Computer Science
Scientific paper
Aug 2006
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2006iaujd..14e..14a&link_type=abstract
Modelling Dense Stellar Systems, 26th meeting of the IAU, Joint Discussion 14, 22-23 August 2006, Prague, Czech Republic, JD14,
Computer Science
Scientific paper
The development of a radial dependence of the stellar mass function (MF) within a cluster with time (called "mass segregation") is a well-established result both from observations and from simulations. However, as the low-mass stars moved to the outer parts of the cluster are easiest stripped off by tidal effects, mass segregation also has an impact on the integrated cluster photometry. Therefore, we calculated the broad-band photometric evolution of unresolved star clusters, including the loss of low-mass stars due to mass segregation. The MF of a cluster evolves due to three effects: 1. the evolution of massive stars 2. early tidal effects reduce the MF independently of the stellar mass 3. after mass segregation has completed, tidal effects preferentially remove the lowest-mass stars from the cluster. 4. Results: • During the first ~40% of the lifetime of a cluster the cluster simply gets fainter due to the general loss of stars by tidal effects. • Between ~40 and ~80% of its lifetime the cluster gets bluer due to the loss of low-mass stars. This will result in an underestimate of the age of clusters from standard cluster evolution models (0.15-0.5 dex) • After ~80% of the total lifetime of a cluster it will rapidly get redder. This is because stars at the low-mass end of the main sequence, which are preferentially lost, are bluer than the AGB stars dominating the light at long wavelengths, resulting in an age overestimate. • Clusters with mass segregation and the preferential loss of low-mass stars evolve along almost the same tracks in colour-colour diagrams as clusters without mass segregation. Therefore it will be difficult to distinguish this effect from that due to the cluster age for unresolved clusters, unless the total lifetime of the clusters can be estimated. • The changes in the colour evolution of unresolved clusters due to the preferential loss of low-mass stars will affect the determination of the SFHs of galaxies and might explain the presence of old clusters in NGC 4365, photometrically disguised as intermediate-age clusters.
Anders Peter
de Grijs Richard
Lamers Henny J. G. L. M.
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