A Dynamical Model for the Globular Cluster G1

Baumgardt, H., Hut, P., Makino, J., Portegies Zwart S., McMillan, S.

Abstract:

We present a comparison between the observational data on the kinematical structure of G1 in M31, obtained with the Hubble WFPC2 and STIS instruments, and the results of dynamical simulations carried out using the special-purpose computer GRAPE-6. We have obtained good fits for models starting from single cluster King-model initial conditions and even better fits when starting our simulations with a dynamically constructed merger product of two star clusters. In the latter case, the results from our simulations are in excellent agreement with the observed profiles of luminosity, velocity dispersion, rotation, and ellipticity. We obtain a mass-to-light ratio of $M/L = 4.0 \pm 0.4$ and a total cluster mass of $M=(8\pm 1)\times 10^6 \; M_\odot$. Given that our dynamical model can fit all available observational data very well, there seems to be no need to invoke the presence of an intermediate-mass black hole in the center of G1.

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