Published September 15, 2023
| Version v1
Presentation
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Using binaries in globular clusters to catch sight of intermediate-mass black holes
Creators
- 1. Indiana University
- 2. Center for Astronomy Education and Outreach, HdA
- 3. Observatoire de Paris
- 4. Observatoire astronomique de Strasbourg
- 5. Lund Observatory
- 6. University of Vienna
Description
The dynamical evolution of globular clusters (GCs) is tied to their binary population, as binaries segregate to the cluster centre, leading to an increased binary fraction in the core. This central overabundance of mainly hard binaries can serve as a source of energy for the cluster and might significantly affect the observed kinematics of the GC. We analyse the binary fractions and distributions of 95 simulated GCs, with and without an intermediate-mass black hole (IMBH) in their centre. We show that an IMBH will not only halt the segregation of binaries towards the cluster centre but also, directly and indirectly, disrupt the binaries that segregate, thus depleting binaries in the cluster core. We illustrate this by showing that clusters with an IMBH have fewer binaries and flatter radial binary distributions than their counterparts without one. These binary fraction and distribution differences provide an additional indicator of a central IMBH in GCs.
Notes
Files
Binaries2023_ContributedTalk_FranciscoAros.pdf
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