| Issue |
A&A
Volume 697, May 2025
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Article Number | A122 | |
| Number of page(s) | 10 | |
| Section | Galactic structure, stellar clusters and populations | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202554066 | |
| Published online | 15 May 2025 | |
Insights into the 3D layered structure of nearby open clusters through N-body simulations
1
Xinjiang Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences,
No. 150, Science 1 Street,
Urumqi, Xinjiang
830011,
PR China
2
School of Astronomy and Space Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences,
19 Yuquan Road,
Shijingshan District, Beijing
100049,
PR China
★ Corresponding author: zhy@xao.ac.cn
Received:
7
February
2025
Accepted:
6
April
2025
Context. Open clusters (OCs) are important for understanding star formation, dynamics, and evolution. Previous studies have indicated a relationship between cluster structure and member star properties, but the formation mechanism of the layered structure of OCs remains unclear.
Aims. We study the three-dimensional spatial distribution of 279 nearby OCs to understand the formation mechanism of the layered structure.
Methods. We analyzed the spatial distribution of member stars within each OC and correlated the presence of a layered structure with the number of member stars. Additionally, we performd N-body simulations to model the evolution of OCSN 125. We assessd the correlation between the binary fraction, the most massive star, and the radius of the layered structure in each simulated OC.
Results. Our analysis reveals that OCs with fewer member stars tend to lack a layered structure. The results from N-body simulations indicate that the presence of a layered structure is strongly influenced by dynamical factors, particularly the most massive star and the binary fraction. Massive stars drive mass loss through supernova explosions and stellar winds, which weaken the spatial layering. Furthermore, clusters with higher binary fractions exhibit a weaker layered structure, likely due to energy equipartition, dynamical friction, and perturbations caused by binary systems. These factors contribute to delaying core collapse and slowing the emergence of a layered structure.
Conclusions. Our findings suggest that dynamical interactions, including the effects of the most massive stars and binary fraction, play a critical role in the formation and disruption of the layered structure in OCs.
Key words: methods: numerical / stars: evolution / open clusters and associations: general / open clusters and associations: individual: OCSN 125
© The Authors 2025
Open Access article, published by EDP Sciences, under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
This article is published in open access under the Subscribe to Open model. Subscribe to A&A to support open access publication.
Current usage metrics show cumulative count of Article Views (full-text article views including HTML views, PDF and ePub downloads, according to the available data) and Abstracts Views on Vision4Press platform.
Data correspond to usage on the plateform after 2015. The current usage metrics is available 48-96 hours after online publication and is updated daily on week days.
Initial download of the metrics may take a while.