The galactic center HeI stars: Remains of a dissolved young cluster?

A massive young star cluster, initially embedded in its parent molecular cloud, will spiral into the Galactic center from less than or similar to 30m(6)(1/2) during the lifetime of its most massive stars, if the combined total mass is similar to 10(6)m(6) M.. On its way inward, the system loses most of its mass to the strong tidal field, until the dense cluster core of high-mass stars is finally disrupted near the central black hole. A simple model is presented to argue that this scenario may, under plausible conditions, explain the observed location and rotation of the Galactic center He I stars. Accretion of star clusters into the Galactic center could be recurrent and could play an important role in regulating the activity of Sagittarius A*.