Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t8hqh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-20T11:39:41.813Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Numerical Experiments on the N-Body Problem

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 April 2016

S. J. Aarseth*
Affiliation:
Institute of Theoretical Astronomy, Cambridge, England

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

This review first discusses the different types of numerical methods available for integrating the equations of motion of N-body systems. It is desirable to supplement ordinary integration schemes with special treatments of close encounters using a two-body perturbation description or introducing regularizing transformations of the co-ordinates and time. Direct methods are at present limited to the study of a few hundred particles but larger systems may be investigated using Monte Carlo techniques or the Boltzmann moment equations.

N-body computations have been performed for a whole range of initial conditions and the general results are summarized. Numerical investigations have already clarified a number of important aspects of cluster evolution and the qualitative behaviour of small stellar systems is now quite well understood. Recent theoretical modifications have reduced the disagreement with experiments but further improvements are still needed.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Reidel 1971

References

Aarseth, S. J.: 1966, Monthly Notices Roy. Astron. Soc. 132, 35.Google Scholar
Aarseth, S. J.: 1967, Bull. Astron. 2, 47.Google Scholar
Aarseth, S. J.: 1968, Bull. Astron. 3, 105.Google Scholar
Aarseth, S. J.: 1970, Astron. Astrophys. 9, 64.Google Scholar
Aarseth, S. J.: 1971, this issue, p. 118.Google Scholar
Albada, T. S. van: 1968, Bull Astron. Inst. Neth. 19, 479.Google Scholar
Allen, C.: 1968, Ph. D. Thesis, Mexico University.Google Scholar
Bouvier, P. and Janin, G.: 1971, in Lecar, M. (ed.), Gravitational N-Body Problem, D. Reidel Publ. Co., Dordrecht-Holland, in press.Google Scholar
Gonzalez, C. C. and Lecar, M.: 1968, Bull. Astron. 3, 209.Google Scholar
Hayli, A.: 1967, Bull. Astron. 2, 67.Google Scholar
Hayli, A.: 1970, Astron. Astrophys. 7, 17.Google Scholar
Heggie, D. C.: 1971, this issue, p. 35.Google Scholar
Hénon, M.: 1966, Compt. Rend. Acad. Sci. Paris 262, 666.Google Scholar
Hénon, M.: 1969, Astron. Astrophys. 2, 151.Google Scholar
Hénon, M.: 1971, this issue p. 151.Google Scholar
Hoerner, S. von: 1960, Z. Astrophys. 50, 184.Google Scholar
Hoerner, S. von: 1963, Z. Astrophys. 57, 47.Google Scholar
Kustaanheimo, P. and Stiefel, E.: 1965, Math. 218, 204.Google Scholar
Larson, R. B.: 1970, Monthly Notices Roy. Astron. Soc. 147, 323.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Larson, R. B.: 1971, in Lecar, M. (ed.), Gravitational N-Body Problem, D. Reidel Publ. Co., Dordrecht-Holland, in press.Google Scholar
Miller, R. H.: 1964, Astrophys. J. 140, 250.Google Scholar
Peters, C. F.: 1968, Bull. Astron. 3, 167.Google Scholar
Pines, S.: 1961, Astron. J. 66, 5.Google Scholar
Standish, E. M.: 1968, Ph. D. Thesis, Yale University.Google Scholar
Standish, E. M. and Aksnes, K.: 1969, Astrophys. J. 158, 519.Google Scholar
Stiefel, E.: 1967, NASA Report CR-769.Google Scholar
Wielen, R.: 1967, Veröff. Astron. Rechen-Inst. Heidelberg, No. 19.Google Scholar
Wielen, R.: 1968, Bull. Astron. 3, 127.Google Scholar
Wielen, R.: 1971, Astrophys. Space Sci. 13, 300.Google Scholar