Study reveals key drivers behind 3D layered structures in open star clusters

Researchers from the Xinjiang Astronomical Observatory (XAO) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have made significant progress in understanding how three-dimensional (3D) layered structures form within open star clusters. Using N-body simulations and analyzing 279 nearby open clusters in the solar neighborhood, the researchers identified a strong correlation between the number of member stars and the presence of spatial stratification.