Dynamical Evolution of Globular Clusters in the Magellanic Clouds and Other Local Systems

Abstract

Observations of rich LMC and SMC clusters reveal an increasing spread in core radius with age. This trend likely represents real physical evolution in these systems. Old Magellanic Cloud clusters appear either extended or compact. Similar core radius distributions are observed for the Fornax and Sagittarius dSph cluster systems and in the ``young'' halo Milky Way subsystem. These observations have implications for both the formation of the Galaxy and the dynamical evolution of globular clusters.

2 pages, 2 figures, to be published in ``New Horizons in Globular Cluster Astronomy'', ASP Conference Series, 2002, eds. G. Piotto, G. Meylan, G. Djorgovski, M. Riello