Star clusters containing massive, central black holes. II - Self-consistent potentials

Abstract

The two-dimensional Monte Carlo scheme of Shapiro and Marchant is updated to provide more efficient and accurate dynamical simulations of large, N-body stellar systems and to properly treat arbitrary, self-consistent gravitational potential fields. This scheme is employed to produce steady state models of stellar cusps around massive black holes at the centers of globular clusters. Phase-space distribution functions, star densities, surface density profiles, and star disruption and core heating rates are calculated. For sufficiently massive black holes (M greater than 2000 solar mass), the effects of self-gravity on the stellar cusp are found to be significant. This paper is considered to be, in part, an intermediate step, presenting and verifying the updated Monte Carlo simulation procedure in preparation for its use in a time-dependent calculation of the effects of cusp heating on the dynamical evolution of the surrounding cluster.