Collisional N-body Dynamics Coupled to Self-gravitating Magnetohydrodynamics Reveals Dynamical Binary Formation

• Published in: The Astrophysical journal Vol. 887; no. 1; pp. 62 - 73
• Main Authors: Wall, Joshua E., McMillan, Stephen L. W., Low, Mordecai-Mark Mac, Klessen, Ralf S., Zwart, Simon Portegies
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia The American Astronomical Society 10.12.2019; IOP Publishing
• Subjects: Astrophysics; binaries: general; Binary stars; Computational fluid dynamics; Computer simulation; Finite element method; galaxies: star clusters: general; Gravitation; Magnetohydrodynamics; magnetohydrodynamics (MHD); Mass ratios; Massive stars; methods: numerical; Star & galaxy formation; Star clusters; Star formation; Stars; stars: formation; Stellar evolution; Stellar models
• ISSN: 0004-637X; 1538-4357
• DOI: 10.3847/1538-4357/ab4db1

We describe a star cluster formation model that includes individual star formation from self-gravitating, magnetized gas, coupled to collisional stellar dynamics. The model uses the Astrophysical Multi-purpose Software Environment to integrate an adaptive-mesh magnetohydrodynamics code (FLASH) with a fourth order Hermite N-body code (ph4), a stellar evolution code (SeBa), and a method for resolving binary evolution (multiples). This combination yields unique star-formation simulations that allow us to study binaries formed dynamically from interactions with both other stars and dense, magnetized gas subject to stellar feedback during the birth and early evolution of stellar clusters. We find that for massive stars, our simulations are consistent with the observed dynamical binary fractions and mass ratios. However, our binary fraction drops well below observed values for lower mass stars, presumably due to unincluded binary formation during initial star formation. Further, we observe a buildup of binaries near the hard-soft boundary that may be an important mechanism driving early cluster contraction.