The initial, violent dynamics of a globular cluster-like N-body system

We followed numerically the dynamics of a self-gravitating system of the size of a typical globular cluster, composed by few hundred thousand stars, starting from non-equilibrium initial conditions. Non-equilibrium initial conditions are expected after the complete exhaustion of primordial gas through the gas-star phase transition which occurred on the star-formation time scale. The results allow to draw some conclusions about the evolution of the distribution function toward a meta-stable state, as due to the quick initial collapse and re-expansion of the whole system. This ``virialized'' state has the, well known, further evolution due to star-star encounters. The initial ``violent'' dynamics can be worthly investigated by mean of codes (like our own) which are efficient in the representation of the time evolution driven by the quick mean-field variations, even if the individual body-body close interactions (not relevant in this phase) are not followed in detail. Astronomische Gesellschaft Abstract Series, vol. 18, abstract MS0548