Physics
Scientific paper
Jan 1995
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1995apj...438..702k&link_type=abstract
Astrophysical Journal, Part 1 (ISSN 0004-637X), vol. 438, no. 2, p. 702-707
Physics
40
Celestial Mechanics, Globular Clusters, Shock Waves, Stars, Stellar Mass Ejection, Stellar Physics, Tides, Approximation, Harmonics, Milky Way Galaxy, Two Body Problem
Scientific paper
The phenomenon of 'tidal-shock relaxation' is defined and quantitatively estimated. We show that the second-order term mean value of ((delta E)2) which has usually been neglected in the treatment of tidal shocks, is typically far more important than the first-order term mean value of (delta E). The latter has been found by Aguilar, Ostriker & Hut (1988) to be the dominant physical process driving the evolution of the Galactic system of globular clusters. The reason is simply that the absolute value of (v dot delta v), which contributes to the second-order term, is usually much larger than the absolute value of (delta v)2, the basis of the first-order term. Near the tidal radius the tidal-shock relaxation term mean value of ((delta E)2)ts will accelerate mass loss, and near the half-mass radius it competes with the two-body relaxation mean value of ((delta E)2)rel in driving the evolution of the internal structure in the cluster. Formulae for the evaluation of the second-order term are computed for the idealized case treated by Spitzer (1987) of stars in harmonic potential. For typical parameters of global clusters we find that even at the half-mass point, tidal-shock relaxation may be competitive with two-body relaxation.
Kundic Tomislav
Ostriker Jeremiah P.
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