Journal
MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY
Volume 368, Issue 1, Pages 121-140Publisher
OXFORD UNIV PRESS
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2006.10095.x
Keywords
stellar dynamics; methods : N-body simulations; stars : formation; galaxies : nuclei; galaxies : starburst; galaxies : star clusters
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We present the methods and preparatory work for our study of the collisional runaway scenario to form a very massive star (VMS, M* > 400M(circle dot)) at the centre of a young, compact stellar cluster. In the first phase of the process, a very dense central core of massive stars (M-* similar or equal to 30 - 120M(circle dot)) forms through mass segregation and gravothermal collapse. This leads to a collisional stage, likely to result in the formation of a VMS ( itself a possible progenitor for an intermediate-mass black hole) through a runaway sequence of mergers between the massive stars. In this paper, we present the runaway scenario in a general astrophysical context. We then explain the numerical method used to investigate it. Our approach is based on a Monte Carlo code to simulate the stellar dynamics of spherical star clusters, using a very large number of particles ( a few 105 to several 106). Finally, we report on test computations carried out to ensure that our implementation of the important physics is sound. In a second paper, we present results from more than 100 cluster simulations realized to determine the conditions leading to the collisional formation of a VMS and the characteristics of the runaway sequences.
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