The Dynamical Evolution of Stars and their Circumstellar Environments in Young Dense Clusters

• Applicant: Dr. Christoph Olczak
• Subject Area: Astrophysics and Astronomy
• Term: from 2010 to 2014
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 171164321

The aim of this project is to investigate numerically the dynamical evolution of young dense star clusters from their earliest gas-embedded stages, focusing on the effect of gravitational interactions among the stellar population and their protoplanetary discs. The recent finding that most stars form in star clusters makes this project a vital contribution to the understanding of star and planet formation, one of the fundamental issues of current research. The investigation will be carried out via numerical simulations of star cluster models using highorder accurate direct parallel N-body codes and novel supercomputers based on special accelerator devices. It involves the development of three entirely new features as part of a direct N-body code that will provide an unprecedented realism in the numerical study of young star clusters: (i) a realistic treatment of the cluster’s gas potential, (ii) the implementation of star cluster formation, and (iii) the direct integration of a cluster composed of star-disc systems. The numerical simulations will be confronted with observational programs using the currently most advanced observational facilities for star cluster studies (VLT, HST, LBT, Spitzer). This close link of theoretical and observational astrophysics will potentially (i) provide full dynamical models of four young star clusters that are in the focus of current star formation research, (ii) quantify the effect of the star formation process on cluster members and dynamics, and (iii) constrain the survival probability of discs and planets in a cluster environment.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants