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arXiv · 2610.22946

$N$-body simulations of the open cluster M67 -- I: global cluster properties

Jasmine S. M. Anderson-Baldwin·Jarrod R. Hurley
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Abstract

The most recent Gaia data releases have seen the construction of many open cluster catalogues containing thousands of open clusters. Simulations of these clusters are needed in order to interpret observations, both existing and upcoming. M67 is an ideal open cluster to calibrate these simulations due to its advanced age and large, diverse binary populations. Moreover it is one of the most extensively observed open clusters with observations in several wavelengths. We aim to reproduce the global cluster properties of M67 with modern $N$-body simulations, as well as comparing its observed properties in the largest homogeneous open cluster catalogue with other available observations. We carry out several NBODY6++GPU simulations with varying initial conditions, including metallicity, half-mass radius, and the distribution of orbital binary parameters. Our models broadly reproduce the observed global properties of M67, and we are able to recreate the cluster's surface brightness profile, radial mass profile, and colour-magnitude diagram. Our favoured model indicates an initial half-mass radius of around 1.6 pc, although its total observable cluster mass may be too high. Further simulations are planned for a subsequent study, with a focus on recreating the present-day binary populations of M67.

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Jasmine S. M. Anderson-Baldwin, Jarrod R. Hurley. 2026-10-16. $N$-body simulations of the open cluster M67 -- I: global cluster properties. https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.22946

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