Regular and chaotic motion in globular clusters

D. D. CARPINTERO; J. C. MUZZIO; F. C. WACHLIN

CELESTIAL MECHANICS & DYNAMICAL ASTRONOMY

SPRINGER

Lugar: Berlin; Año: 1999 vol. 73 p. 159 - 168

0923-2958

As a first step towards a comprehensive investigation of stellar motions within globular clusters, we present here the results of a study of stellar orbits in a mildly triaxial globular cluster that follows a circular orbit inside a galaxy. The stellar orbits were classified using the frequency analysis code of Carpintero and Aguilar and, as a check, the Liapunov characteristics exponents were also computed in some cases. The orbit families were obtained using different start spaces. Chaotic orbits turn out to be very common and while, as could be expected, they are particularly abundant in the outer parts of the cluster, they are still significant in the innermost regions. Their relevance for the structure of the cluster is discussed.