TY - CONF
T1 - Effects of Dynamical Evolution on Globular Clusters’ Internal Kinematics
AU - Tiongco, Maria
AU - Vesperini, Enrico
AU - Varri, Anna Lisa
N1 - American Astronomical Society, AAS Meeting #231
PY - 2018/1/8
Y1 - 2018/1/8
N2 - The synergy between recent photometric, spectroscopic, and astrometric
studies is revealing that globular clusters deviate from the traditional
picture of dynamically simple and single stellar population systems.
Complex kinematical features such as velocity anisotropy and rotation,
and the existence of multiple stellar populations are some of the key
observational findings. My thesis work has aimed to build a theoretical
framework to interpret these new observational results and to understand
their link with a globular cluster’s dynamical history.I have
focused on the study of the evolution of globular clusters' internal
kinematics, as driven by two-body relaxation, and the interplay between
internal angular momentum and the external Galactic tidal field. With a
specifically-designed, large survey of direct N-body simulations, I have
explored the three-dimensional structure of the velocity space of
tidally-perturbed clusters, by characterizing their degree of anisotropy
and their rotational properties. These studies have proved that a
cluster's kinematical properties contain a distinct imprints of the
cluster’s initial structural properties, dynamical history, and
tidal environment. By relaxing a number of simplifying assumptions that
are traditionally imposed, I have also showed how the interplay between
a cluster's internal evolution and the interaction with the host galaxy
can produce complex morphological and kinematical properties, such as a
counter-rotating core and a twisting of the projected isodensity
contours.Building on this fundamental understanding, I have then studied
the dynamics of multiple stellar populations in globular clusters, with
attention to the largely unexplored role of angular momentum. I have
analyzed the evolution of clusters with stellar populations
characterized by different initial structural and kinematical properties
to determine how long these differences are preserved, and in what cases
they could still be observable in present-day systems.This body of
results provides essential guidance for a meaningful interpretation of
the emerging dynamical complexity of globular clusters in the era of
Gaia and other upcoming large spectroscopic surveys.
AB - The synergy between recent photometric, spectroscopic, and astrometric
studies is revealing that globular clusters deviate from the traditional
picture of dynamically simple and single stellar population systems.
Complex kinematical features such as velocity anisotropy and rotation,
and the existence of multiple stellar populations are some of the key
observational findings. My thesis work has aimed to build a theoretical
framework to interpret these new observational results and to understand
their link with a globular cluster’s dynamical history.I have
focused on the study of the evolution of globular clusters' internal
kinematics, as driven by two-body relaxation, and the interplay between
internal angular momentum and the external Galactic tidal field. With a
specifically-designed, large survey of direct N-body simulations, I have
explored the three-dimensional structure of the velocity space of
tidally-perturbed clusters, by characterizing their degree of anisotropy
and their rotational properties. These studies have proved that a
cluster's kinematical properties contain a distinct imprints of the
cluster’s initial structural properties, dynamical history, and
tidal environment. By relaxing a number of simplifying assumptions that
are traditionally imposed, I have also showed how the interplay between
a cluster's internal evolution and the interaction with the host galaxy
can produce complex morphological and kinematical properties, such as a
counter-rotating core and a twisting of the projected isodensity
contours.Building on this fundamental understanding, I have then studied
the dynamics of multiple stellar populations in globular clusters, with
attention to the largely unexplored role of angular momentum. I have
analyzed the evolution of clusters with stellar populations
characterized by different initial structural and kinematical properties
to determine how long these differences are preserved, and in what cases
they could still be observable in present-day systems.This body of
results provides essential guidance for a meaningful interpretation of
the emerging dynamical complexity of globular clusters in the era of
Gaia and other upcoming large spectroscopic surveys.
M3 - Abstract
ER -