TKira—A Hybrid N-Body Code

Accurately modeling the evolution of a star cluster in a strong tidal field poses unique computational challenges. We present a hybrid code that combines the strengths of two different approaches to computing gravitational forces. The internal, collisional, dynamics of the cluster is followed with a direct N-body integrator, KIRA, while the galactic tidal field is modeled with a cosmological code, GADGET, that uses a Barnes-Hut tree to evaluate gravitational forces in O(N log N) time. The quadrupole moment at the center of mass of the cluster is used to compute the external potential and provides a mechanism for mass loss. This forms a robust, bidirectional interaction. The advantages of combining two highly-developed and well-established software packages at such high level are obvious and many; not the least of the these is the ability to include other physical processes, e.g., stellar evolution. One problem to which we applied this technique is the evolution of a dense star cluster near the Galactic Center. We are also using this code to explore the effects of the strong time variation in the tidal field of merging galaxies on the evolution of young star clusters forming during the merger.