EVODESC · Evolution of Dense Star Clusters with Massive Black Holes
FP6 — Marie Curie Actions (Human Resources and Mobility)
- Duration
- 2006-08-01 → 2008-07-31
- EU contribution
- €153,790
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- EIF
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Results in brief
Final Activity Report Summary - EVODESC (Evolution of Dense Star Clusters with Massive Black Holes)
Galactic nuclei are among the most fascinating astronomical objects, and are a frequent target for observations. Recently, our own Galactic centre has been subject to observations in multiple wavelengths. These observations revealed the very young stars as well as the evidence for black holes about a thousand solar masses, moving around a supermassive black hole, which is about four million solar masses. The unique structure of the orbits in the vicinity of a supermassive black hole leads to novel dynamical processes that cannot be simulated by tradintional techniques. In our project, we developed new techniques to simulate the processes that are most important for the dynamical evolutions of the young stars and the gravitational wave sources. We made many of the numerical tools that we developed freely available to the public via world wide web. These are used by our colleagues both for simulating galactic nuclei and planetary systems, which share many physical characteristics with the former.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
In this proposal we outline our programme for developing a software environment for simulating dense star clusters, the formation and evolution of massive black holes in these systems, and their interactions. We propose to develop a computer code which brings together the attractive aspects of direct N-body integration (realism, minimal simplifying assumptions) and Monte Carlo techniques (speed, ability to handle large number of particles). Our new code will allow us to simulate the evolution of rich clusters containing massive black holes with unprecedented realism. As a particular application we will test the validity of orbit library method for globular clusters domain. In addition, we will extend direct N-body approach of modeling these systems, by using a realistic number of stars. The simulations we plan to carry out will also provide insight on galactic nuclei, in particular the inspiral and the capture of intermediate mass black holes by supermassive black holes at the centers of galaxies.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- UNIVERSITEIT VAN AMSTERDAM · AMSTERDAMCoordinatorNetherlands
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union