ESA Science & Technology - A measurement of diffusion in 47 Tucanae

Publication date: 01 May 2015

Authors: Heyl, J., et al.

Journal: The Astrophysical Journal
Volume: 804
Issue: 1
Page: 53
Year: 2015

Copyright: IOP Publishing

Using images from the Hubble Space Telescope Wide-Field Camera 3, we measure the rate of diffusion of stars through the core of the globular cluster 47 Tucanae (47 Tuc) using a sample of young white dwarfs that were identified in these observations. This is the first direct measurement of diffusion due to gravitational relaxation. We find that the diffusion rate κ ~ 10-13 arcsec² Myr^-1 is consistent with theoretical estimates of the relaxation time in the core of 47 Tuc of about 70 Myr.