Investigating Binary Star formation within a Globular Cluster

As stars evolve and move around the core of a cluster, they are interacting Rodriguez Group, UNC Chapel Hill

with other nearby particles. As the binary system forms, the excess binding energy from the newly-formed binary is transferred to other nearby particles. These particles can be ejected from the cluster core or even from the entire cluster. Here, we investigate how the properties of a star cluster influence the formation of binaries and the energies of the nearby particles. Initial simulation results indicate that as the mass and density of the cluster increase, the binding energies of binaries are more variable, while binary formation typically involves a larger number of neighboring particles.  This process can lead to the ejection of not only the single stars that interact with the newly-formed binary, but in some cases even the binary itself.