English (United Kingdom)

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/featured_content/oa?rat=en

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/highlighted_journal/

Global: Zendy Plus annual

Presents the access of premium content as premium feature

Premium Content

Presents the keyphrase highlighting as premium feature

Keyphrase Highlighting

Presents the summarisation as premium feature

Summarisation

Insights

Presents the pdf analysis as premium feature

PDF Analysis

Presents the zaia usage as premium feature

ZAIA

Global: Zendy Tools annual

Global: Zendy Free Plan

Global: Zendy Tools monthly

Global: Zendy Plus monthly

Stars form with a complex and highly structured distribution. For a smooth star cluster to form from these initial conditions, the star cluster must erase this substructure. We study how substructure is removed using  N ‐body simulations that realistically handle two‐body relaxation. In contrast to previous studies, we find that hierarchical cluster formation occurs chiefly as a result of scattering of stars out of clumps, and not through clump merging. Two‐body relaxation, in particular within the body of a clump, can significantly increase the rate at which substructure is erased beyond that of clump merging alone. Hence the relaxation time of individual clumps is a key parameter controlling the rate at which smooth, spherical star clusters can form. The initial virial ratio of the clumps is an additional key parameter controlling the formation rate of a cluster. Reducing the initial virial ratio causes a star cluster to lose its substructure more rapidly.

Formation rates of star clusters in the hierarchical merging scenario