Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Aug 2006
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2006mnras.370.2038d&link_type=abstract
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Volume 370, Issue 4, pp. 2038-2046.
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
10
Accretion, Accretion Discs: Binaries: Close: Stars: Evolution: Stars: Pre-Main-Sequence, Accretion Discs, Binaries: Close, Stars: Evolution, Stars: Pre-Main-Sequence
Scientific paper
We model collisions between pre-main-sequence stars using a smoothed particle hydrodynamics method. Assuming that all collisions lead to simple mergers, we use derived merger cross-sections to calculate the time-scale to make a 50-Msolar star by collisions within the core of a stellar cluster as a function of stellar number density. We show that a 50-Msolar star may be produced in this manner within 106 yr beginning with a cluster core of 200 1-Msolar stars within a radius of 0.0025 pc. Encounters between one high-mass star and one low-mass star tend to result in the tidal shredding of the latter, producing a massive disc around the former. This disc spreads viscously and provided a much larger target than any star for subsequent collisions. If a star strikes the disc, it is likely to be captured, and so forms a binary with the other star. Subsequent encounters between the binary and single stars lead either to exchanges or to the formation of merged objects. The inclusion of this effect leads to a significant reduction in the time taken to produce a 50-Msolar star. We also consider the role played by primordial binaries. We show that the time-scale required to produce a 50-Msolar star decreases with increasing binary fraction. We find that the number of primordial binaries is reduced by encounters. The core of a cluster must therefore contain a very high binary fraction initially if a large fraction of the massive stars are to be contained within binaries when the 50-Msolar star is produced.
Bailey Vernon C.
Bate Matthew R.
Bonnell Ian A.
Davies Melvyn B.
Tout Christopher A.
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