Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics – Galaxy Astrophysics
Scientific paper
2009-02-06
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
Galaxy Astrophysics
5 pages, accepted to ApJL; minor changes to reflect accepted version
Scientific paper
10.1088/0004-637X/695/1/L20
Recent observations of the white dwarf (WD) populations in the Galactic globular cluster NGC 6397 suggest that WDs receive a kick of a few km/s shortly before they are born. Using our Monte Carlo cluster evolution code, which includes accurate treatments of all relevant physical processes operating in globular clusters, we study the effects of the kicks on their host cluster and on the WD population itself. We find that in clusters whose velocity dispersion is comparable to the kick speed, WD kicks are a significant energy source for the cluster, prolonging the initial cluster core contraction phase significantly so that at late times the cluster core to half-mass radius ratio is a factor of up to ~ 10 larger than in the no-kick case. WD kicks thus represent a possible resolution of the large discrepancy between observed and theoretically predicted values of this key structural parameter. Our modeling also reproduces the observed trend for younger WDs to be more extended in their radial distribution in the cluster than older WDs.
Fregeau John M.
Hurley Jarrod R.
Rasio Frederic A.
Richer Harvey B.
No associations
LandOfFree
The Dynamical Effects of White Dwarf Birth Kicks in Globular Star Clusters does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with The Dynamical Effects of White Dwarf Birth Kicks in Globular Star Clusters, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and The Dynamical Effects of White Dwarf Birth Kicks in Globular Star Clusters will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-311590