University of Waterloo
200 University Avenue West
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1
Phone: (519) 888-4567 ext 32215
Fax: (519) 746-8115
Department of Physics & Astronomy
University of Toronto
Globular clusters, once thought to be simple dynamical systems, are proving to be increasingly complex as our observational capabilities continue to grow. Advancements in ground based telescopes in particular have made it possible to study how various cluster properties change as a function of clustercentric distance, as such studies require multiple pointings per cluster. Being able to study the radial dependence of cluster properties allows for the internal dynamical evolution of clusters to be directly probed. Of particular interest is the ability to measure the degree of mass segregation in a cluster as it provides an indication of a cluster's dynamical age. Coupled with estimates of how much mass a cluster has lost since formation, based on its global mass function, it becomes possible to begin piecing together each cluster's dynamical history. In this talk, I will first present a new method for quantifying the degree of mass segregation in a cluster based on the radial variation of its mass function and relate this measurement to a cluster's kinematic properties. I will then illustrate the application of this method to select Milky Way Globular Clusters and discuss how the degree of mass segregation within a cluster is inconsistent with its present day mass function. Potential remedies to this discrepancy will also be discussed.
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The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is centralized within our Office of Indigenous Relations.