Numerical experiments on radial virial oscillations in N-body systems

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Abstract
Initially uniform and spherical bound systems of mass points exhibit radial pulsations on a dynamical time-scale, analogous to adiabatic pulsations in stars. Starting from the Identity of Lagrange, Chandrasekhar & Elbert derived relations for the period and amplitude of these oscillations. We present results of numerical experiments on these pulsations in N-body systems. In quiet systems starting near virial equilibrium, the amplitude of the pulsations is small and they are long lived. In this case, the life time depends strongly on the number of particles. Collisional effects and mixing eventually lead to damping. Violent oscillations turn out to be self-destructive. It is shown how these pulsations can produce escapers.

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