Abstract

Dense, self-gravitating N-body systems such as globular clusters are natural laboratories for studying stellar dynamics in extreme environments. Their evolution can be qualitatively understood as a strive to establish balance between core contraption and expansion: The gravothermal instability leads the system toward core collapse, while a variety of other physical processes, such as binary-single star interactions, mass loss induced by stellar evolution, or interactions with central black holes, tend to fuel core expansion. I will present an overview of this complex, yet intuitive interplay of diverse physics in dense stellar systems, presenting results from direct N-body simulations and analytical models. I will conclude discussing how theoretical insight of stellar dynamics signatures aids the design of observations aimed at identifying globular clusters that may harbor elusive intermediate mass black holes.