A Comparison of Numerical Methods for the Study of Star Cluster Dynamics
Abstract
We compare the results of three different numerical methods for computing the evolution of a spherical star cluster from a given initial state, under the influence of internal relaxation: the N-body integration, the Monte Carlo method, and the fluid-dynamical approach. The general features of the evolution are very similar in all cases. The rates of evolution differ somewhat; for stars of equal masses, taking the N-body integrations as a reference, the Monte Carlo models evolve too fast by a factor 1.5, and the fluid-dynamical models by a factor 2 to 3.
- Publication:
-
Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Pub Date:
- December 1974
- Bibcode:
- 1974A&A....37..183A
- Keywords:
-
- Astronomical Models;
- Computerized Simulation;
- Numerical Analysis;
- Star Clusters;
- Stellar Evolution;
- Celestial Mechanics;
- Fluid Dynamics;
- Fokker-Planck Equation;
- Many Body Problem;
- Mathematical Models;
- Monte Carlo Method;
- Numerical Integration;
- Relaxation Method (Mathematics);
- Astrophysics