Evolution of Binaries in Dense Stellar Systems

Abstract

In contrast to the field, the binaries in dense stellar systems are frequently not primordial, and could be either dynamically formed or significantly altered from their primordial states. Destruction and formation of binaries occur in parallel all the time. The destruction, which constantly removes soft binaries from a binary pool, works as an energy sink and could be a reason for cluster entering the binary-burning phase. The true binary fraction is greater than observed, as a result, the observable binary fraction evolves differently from the predictions. Combined measurements of binary fractions in globular clusters suggest that most of the clusters are still core-contracting. The formation, on other hand, affects most the more evolutionary advanced stars, which significantly enhances the population of X-ray sources in globular clusters. The formation of binaries with a compact objects proceeds mainly through physical collisions, binary-binary and single-binary encounters; however, it is the dynamical formation of triples and multiple encounters that principally determine whether the formed binary will become an X-ray source.

8 pages, 2 figures. To appear in the proceedings of the conference "Binary Star Evolution: Mass Loss, Accretion and Mergers" (ed. V. Kalogera and M. van der Sluys, AIP Conf. Ser.), held in Mykonos, Greece, held in June 22-25, 2010

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