Dynamical Evolution of Globular Clusters and Galactic Nuclei

了解致密恒星系统的动力学演化， 如球状星团和星系核，是地球上 引力天体物理学的基本问题 实质性 近年来，在实现这一目标方面取得了进展， 这是理论和观测进步的结果。 频繁 恒星间的引力相互作用导致了 这些系统的整体结构 有趣的时间尺度。 强大的计算机模拟方法 已经牢固地确立了球状体的不可避免的进化 星团的核心坍缩。 新的观测仪器的出现和 从地面观测站获得高角度分辨率 都在观察性研究中取得了重大进展 球状星团和星系核。 印第安纳州大学的科恩、卢格和杜瑞森博士， 进行了一项重大的研究工作， 了解星团演化。 超级计算机已经 成为这次调查的重要工具 球状 星系团为观测试验提供了极好的实验室 恒星动力学理论的基础， 正常和活动星系核的模型。 的财富 球状星团结构的观测数据， 这个小组和其他人正在获取的星系核 为理论建模提供了坚实的基础。

Understanding the dynamical evolution of dense stellar systems, such as globular clusters and galactic nuclei, is one of the most fundamental problems of gravitational astrophysics. Substantial progress towards this goal has been made in recent years as a result of both theoretical and observational advances. Frequent star-star gravitational interactions cause a profound evolution of the overall structure of these systems on astrophysically interesting time scales. Powerful computer simulation methods have firmly established the inevitable evolution of globular clusters of stars toward the collapse of the core of the cluster. The advent of new observing instrumentation and the ability to achieve high angular resolution from ground based observatories have both led to significant advances in the observational study of globular clusters and galactic nuclei. Drs. Cohn, Lugger, and Durisen, at the University of Indiana, have undertaken a major research effort to extend our understanding of stellar cluster evolution. Supercomputers have become an essential tool in this investigation. Globular clusters provide an excellent laboratory for observational tests of the stellar dynamical theory that underlies this group's models of normal and active galactic nuclei. The wealth of observational data on the structure of globular clusters and galactic nuclei that is being acquired by this group and others provides a firm basis for the theoretical modeling.