Abstract: The origin, evolution, and fate of star clusters is a key component to understanding both the formation of galaxies and their black hole populations. In this talk, I will describe our current understanding of the evolution of dense star clusters in the Milky Way, and their complicated relationship with their black holes. I will then describe a project to self-consistently evolve star clusters formed in a high-resolution MHD simulation of a Milky Way-mass galaxy, from their formation in collapsing giant molecular clouds to their destruction by galactic tidal fields. I will connect these results to the binary black holes detected by LIGO/Virgo, including GW190412 and GW190521, two gravitational-wave detections with unique masses and spins from the O3 observing run. Finally I will show how the initial conditions of these star clusters allow for the formation of even more massive black holes, such as the ever illusive intermediate-mass black holes.
The Connection Between Globular Cluster Formation and The Biggest Black Holes
Carl Rodrigues (University of North Carolina) // May 13, 2024
Abstract: The origin, evolution, and fate of star clusters is a key component to understanding both the formation of galaxies and their black hole populations. In this talk, I will describe our current understanding of the evolution of dense star clusters in the Milky Way, and their complicated relationship with their black holes. I will then describe a project to self-consistently evolve star clusters formed in a high-resolution MHD simulation of a Milky Way-mass galaxy, from their formation in collapsing giant molecular clouds to their destruction by galactic tidal fields. I will connect these results to the binary black holes detected by LIGO/Virgo, including GW190412 and GW190521, two gravitational-wave detections with unique masses and spins from the O3 observing run. Finally I will show how the initial conditions of these star clusters allow for the formation of even more massive black holes, such as the ever illusive intermediate-mass black holes.