The Long-term Evolution of Main-sequence Binaries in DRAGON Simulations

We present a comprehensive investigation of main-sequence binaries in the DRAGON simulations, which are the first one-million-particle direct N-body simulations of globular clusters. We analyze the orbital parameters of the binary samples in two of the DRAGON simulations, D1-R7-IMF93 and D2-R7-IMF01, focusing on their secular evolution and correlations up to 12 Gyr. These two models have different initial stellar mass functions: Kroupa 1993 (D1-R7-IMF93) and Kroupa 2001 (D2-R7-IMF01); and different initial mass-ratio distributions: random paring (D1-R7-IMF93) and a power law (D1-R7-IMF93). In general, the mass ratio of a population of binaries increases over time due to stellar evolution, which is less significant in D2-R7-IMF01. In D1-R7-IMF93, primordial binaries with a mass ratio q 0.2 are most common, and the frequency linearly declines with increasing q at all times. Dynamical binaries of both models have higher eccentricities and larger semimajor axes than primordial binaries. They are preferentially located in the inner part of the star cluster. Secular evolution of binary orbital parameters does not depend on the initial mass-ratio distribution, but is sensitive to the initial binary distribution of the system. At t = 12 Gyr, the binary fraction decreases radially outwards, and mass segregation is present. A color difference of 0.1 mag in F330W - F814W and 0.2 mag in NUV - y between the core and the outskirts of both clusters is seen, which is a reflection of the binary radial distribution and the mass segregation in the cluster. The complete set of data for primordial and dynamical binary systems at all snapshot intervals is made publicly available.

Automated summary

A comprehensive investigation of main-sequence binaries in DRAGON simulations reveals that models with different initial conditions show differences in the evolution of binary properties, such as mass ratio and orbital parameters, over time. Dynamical binaries have higher eccentricities and are more likely to be located in the inner part of the star cluster compared to primordial binaries. The binary fraction decreases radially outwards over time, and there is evidence of mass segregation in the cluster based on color differences between the core and outskirts.