The Formation of Stellar Cusps in Galactic Nuclei

TL;DR

This paper investigates how various physical processes influence the formation and evolution of stellar cusps in galactic nuclei, using Fokker-Planck simulations to model different galactic environments.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive analysis of stellar cusp formation considering multiple mechanisms and presents dynamical evolution models across diverse galactic nuclei.

Findings

Stellar evolution and collisions significantly shape cusp structures.

Mass segregation leads to distinct stellar density profiles.

Tidal disruptions impact the growth of central black holes.

Abstract

The dynamics of galactic nuclei can be affected by several mechanisms. Among these are stellar evolution, stellar collisions, mass segregation, and tidal disruptions of stars due to the central black hole. In this presentation I will address how each of these affects the stellar cusp and the resulting observational signatures. Using a set of dynamically evolving Fokker-Planck simulations I present the dynamical evolution a nuclear stellar cluster and the growth of the central massive black hole within the Galactic Nucleus. In addition to the Galactic Center I explore a wide variety of galactic nuclei and their resulting stellar cusps.