The Galaxy is currently forming just one star a year. However, the Galaxy is not forming a massive star cluster (known as “globular cluster’’; GC) consisting of 10^6 stars – a long-standing mystery. The formation sites of such GCs candidates are found to be interacting galaxies. In this project, summer students will try to discuss why such massive GCs can be formed preferentially in interacting galaxies based on the results of computer simulations of GC formation.
Firstly, students numerically investigate the possible formation sites of massive molecular clouds from where GCs can be formed. Then, students investigate how a huge number of stars can form from massive molecular clouds. Structure, kinematics, and chemical abundances of the simulated star clusters will be analyzed in detail. Comparison with observations will be briefly made.