Formation of binaries from triple systems.
The dynamical behavior of three masses moving under their mutual gravitational attraction in a plane is investigated by a systematic series of numerical experiments. It is shown that in 73% of the cases, a triple system disintegrates in less than 150 time units (corresponding to about 150 crossing times), and a binary is formed with the third star that escapes at hyperbolic velocity. The average time for disintegration is of the order of 10(9) years for triple stellar systems, as well as for triple galaxies. The statistics of the escaping masses show that the escaping mass is usually, but not always, the smallest in the system. A simple equation, giving the balance between the negative energy stored in the binary and the positive energy necessary for escape, explains the results qualitatively.
The University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78712.
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