Formation of massive star clusters with and without iron abundance spreads in a dwarf galaxy merger

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Main Authors: Matsui, Hidenori, Bekki, Kenji, McKenzie, Madeleine, Saitoh, Takayuki R.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Matsui, Hidenori
Bekki, Kenji
McKenzie, Madeleine
Saitoh, Takayuki R.
author_facet Matsui, Hidenori
Bekki, Kenji
McKenzie, Madeleine
Saitoh, Takayuki R.
contents To study the formation of star clusters and their properties in a dwarf-dwarf merging galaxy, we have performed a numerical simulation of a dwarf-dwarf galaxy merger by using the Tree+GRAPE $N$-body/SPH code ASURA. In our simulation, 13 young star clusters are formed during the merger process. We show that our simulated star clusters can be divided into two types: with and without [Fe/H] abundance variations. The former is created by a seed star cluster (the first-generation stars) formed in compressed gas. These stars contaminate the surrounding gas by Type II supernovae (SNe). At that time, the energy injection is insufficient to induce an outflow of the surrounding gas. After that, the contaminated gas falls into the seed, thereby forming a new generation of stars from the contaminated gas. We also show that most star clusters are formed in the galactic central region after the second encounter and fall into the galactic center due to dynamical friction within several hundred Myr. As a result, close encounters and mergers between the clusters take place. Although the clusters with shallower gravitational potential are tidally disrupted by these close encounters, others survive and finally merge at the center of the merged dwarf galaxies to create a nuclear star cluster. Therefore, the nuclear star cluster is comprised of various stellar components in [Fe/H] abundance and age. We discuss our work in the context of observations and demonstrate the diagnostic power of high-resolution simulations in the context of star cluster formation.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2501_12658
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Formation of massive star clusters with and without iron abundance spreads in a dwarf galaxy merger
Matsui, Hidenori
Bekki, Kenji
McKenzie, Madeleine
Saitoh, Takayuki R.
Astrophysics of Galaxies
To study the formation of star clusters and their properties in a dwarf-dwarf merging galaxy, we have performed a numerical simulation of a dwarf-dwarf galaxy merger by using the Tree+GRAPE $N$-body/SPH code ASURA. In our simulation, 13 young star clusters are formed during the merger process. We show that our simulated star clusters can be divided into two types: with and without [Fe/H] abundance variations. The former is created by a seed star cluster (the first-generation stars) formed in compressed gas. These stars contaminate the surrounding gas by Type II supernovae (SNe). At that time, the energy injection is insufficient to induce an outflow of the surrounding gas. After that, the contaminated gas falls into the seed, thereby forming a new generation of stars from the contaminated gas. We also show that most star clusters are formed in the galactic central region after the second encounter and fall into the galactic center due to dynamical friction within several hundred Myr. As a result, close encounters and mergers between the clusters take place. Although the clusters with shallower gravitational potential are tidally disrupted by these close encounters, others survive and finally merge at the center of the merged dwarf galaxies to create a nuclear star cluster. Therefore, the nuclear star cluster is comprised of various stellar components in [Fe/H] abundance and age. We discuss our work in the context of observations and demonstrate the diagnostic power of high-resolution simulations in the context of star cluster formation.
title Formation of massive star clusters with and without iron abundance spreads in a dwarf galaxy merger
topic Astrophysics of Galaxies
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2501.12658