Dynamical ejections of massive stars from young star clusters under diverse initial conditions

TL;DR

This study uses N-body simulations to investigate how initial cluster conditions influence the dynamical ejection of massive stars, revealing the importance of initial density and binary properties in shaping ejection outcomes.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the impact of initial cluster parameters on massive star ejections, including ejection fractions, mass functions, and multiplicity, using a comprehensive set of direct N-body models.

Findings

Initial density strongly affects ejection fractions.

Clusters can eject up to 50% of O-star systems.

Ejected stars often have a top-heavy mass function.

Abstract

We study the effects of initial conditions of star clusters and their massive star population on dynamical ejections of massive stars from star clusters up to an age of 3 Myr. We use a large set of direct N-body calculations for moderately massive star clusters (Mecl=$10^{3.5}$ Msun). We vary the initial conditions of the calculations such as the initial half-mass radius of the clusters, initial binary populations for massive stars and initial mass segregation. We find that the initial density is the most influential parameter for the ejection fraction of the massive systems. The clusters with an initial half-mass radius of 0.1 (0.3) pc can eject up to 50% (30%) of their O-star systems on average. Most of the models show that the average ejection fraction decreases with decreasing stellar mass. For clusters efficient at ejecting O stars, the mass function of the ejected stars is top-heavy compared to the given initial mass function (IMF), while the mass function of stars that remain in the cluster becomes slightly steeper (top-light) than the IMF. The top-light mass functions of stars in 3 Myr old clusters in our N-body models agree well with the mean mass function of young intermediate-mass clusters in M31, as reported previously. We show that the multiplicity fraction of the ejected massive stars can be as high as 60%, that massive high-order multiple systems can be dynamically ejected, and that high-order multiples become common especially in the cluster. We also discuss binary populations of the ejected massive systems. When a large kinematic survey of massive field stars becomes available, for instance through Gaia, our results may be used to constrain the birth configuration of massive stars in star clusters. (Abridged)