On the Maximum Binary Fraction in Globular Cluster Cores

Details On the Maximum Binary Fraction in Globular Cluster Cores On the Maximum Binary Fraction in Globular Cluster Cores

2003-12-18

arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0312497v1

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

4 pages, ApJ style, 2 figures, 2 tables, ApJL submitted

Scientific paper

We study the evolution of binary stars in globular clusters using a novel approach combining a state-of-the-art population synthesis code with a simple treatment of dynamical interactions in the dense cluster core. We find that the combination of stellar evolution and dynamical interactions (binary-single and binary-binary) leads to a rapid depletion of the binary population in the cluster core. The maximum binary fraction today in the core of a typical dense cluster like 47 Tuc, assuming an initial binary fraction of 100%, is only about 5%. We show that this is in good agreement with recent HST observations of close binaries in the core of 47 Tuc, provided that a realistic distribution of binary periods is used to interpret the results. Our findings also have important consequences for the dynamical modeling of globular clusters, suggesting that ``realistic models'' should incorporate much larger initial binary fractions than has usually been done in the past.

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