Recurrent gas accretion by massive star clusters, multiple stellar populations and mass thresholds for spheroidal stellar systems

Abstract

We explore the gravitational influence of pressure-supported stellar systems on the internal density distribution of a gaseous environment. We conclude that compact massive star clusters with masses ≳106 M⊙ act as cloud condensation nuclei and are able to accrete gas recurrently from a warm interstellar medium which may cause further star formation events and account for multiple stellar populations in the most massive globular and nuclear star clusters. The same analytical arguments can be used to decide whether an arbitrary spherical stellar system is able to keep warm or hot interstellar material or not. These mass thresholds coincide with transition masses between pressure supported galaxies of different morphological types. © 2009 RAS.