Publication Date:
2016-01-02
Description:
We investigate the interaction of a massive globular cluster (GC) with a super massive black hole (SMBH), located at the centre of its host galaxy, by means of direct N -body simulations. The results show that tidal distortions induced by the stellar background and the SMBH act on a time shorter than that of dynamical friction decay for a 10 6 M GC whenever the SMBH mass exceeds ~10 8 M . This implies an almost complete dissolution of the infalling GC before it reaches the inner region (5 pc) of the parent galaxy. The generalization of this result to a larger sample of infalling GCs shows that such destructive process may prevent the formation and growth of a bright galactic nucleus. Another interesting, serendipitous, result we obtained is that the close interaction between the SMBH and the GC produces a ‘wave’ of stars that escape from the cluster and, in a fraction, even from the whole galaxy.
Print ISSN:
0035-8711
Electronic ISSN:
1365-2966
Topics:
Physics
