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SUMMARY:Orbital alignment and mass segregation in galactic nuclei via Vect
 or Resonant Relaxation - Nathan Magnan (University of Cambridge)
DTSTART:20220511T121500Z
DTEND:20220511T124500Z
UID:TALK174059@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Hannah Uebler
DESCRIPTION:In a galactic nucleus\, the gravitational potential is dominat
 ed by the SMBH\, around which the \nstars are on nearly Keplerian orbits. 
 The cluster of stars acts as a fluctuating perturbation to\nthe potential\
 , leading to a relaxation of the stars' orbital planes in a process called
  Vector\nResonant Relaxation (VRR). The equilibrium of VRR is a state in w
 hich the orbital planes of the\nmassive stars self-align\, forming a narro
 w stellar disk. We present a maximum entropy method to\nsystematically and
  efficiently compute this long-term distribution. We use this algorithm to
 \nexplore parameter space\, and find two results relevant to astrophysics.
  First\, the thickness of\nthe disk is related to the stars' and the BHs' 
 initial mass functions. This highlights a possible\nnew (indirect) method 
 to constrain the mass distribution of IMBHs in galactic nuclei. Second\,\n
 the thickness of the disk also depends on the geometry of star formation. 
 This could help understand\nhow stars form in galactic nuclei. Finally\, t
 he thermodynamics of VRR are also intriguing\, with\nnegative temperatures
 \, negative specific heats\, phase transitions and ensemble inequivalence.
LOCATION:The Hoyle Lecture Theatre + Zoom 
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