Eur. Phys. J. Plus (2011) 126: 55
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/i2011-11055-3

Regular Article

N-body simulations of gravitational dynamics

¹ Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, LE17RH, Leicester, UK
² Institute for Astronomy, Department of Physics, ETH Zürich, Wolfgang-Pauli-Strasse 16, CH-8093, Zürich, Switzerland

^* e-mail: walter.dehnen@astro.le.ac.uk

Received: 14 April 2011
Accepted: 29 April 2011
Published online: 30 May 2011

Abstract

We describe the astrophysical and numerical basis of N -body simulations, both of collisional stellar systems (dense star clusters and galactic centres) and collisionless stellar dynamics (galaxies and large-scale structure). We explain and discuss the state-of-the-art algorithms used for these quite different regimes, attempt to give a fair critique, and point out possible directions of future improvement and development. We briefly touch upon the history of N -body simulations and their most important results.