Virtual Star Clusters: The Dynamics and Evolution of Stars and Planets

Most stars are born in star clusters. When stars age they swell and contract, change composition, lose mass, and in dense regions they may collide. Further, about 50% of stars are binary pairs, and when these swell they can merge or transfer mass. These effects dramatically alter the lives of stars and their chemical makeup. By combining special purpose computers with newly developed simulation techniques, we will include all these effects to answer timely and important astronomical questions such as: can planets survive life in a cluster? how do interactions between stars affect the chemical enrichment of clusters and galaxies?''