The Galactic Center H[CLC]e[/CLC] [CSC]i[/CSC] Stars: Remains of a Dissolved Young Cluster?

A massive young star cluster, initially embedded in its parent molecular cloud, will spiral into the Galactic center from ≲30 m pc during the lifetime of its most massive stars, if the combined total mass is ~10 6 m 6 M ☉ . On its way inward, the system loses most of its mass to the strong tidal field, until the dense cluster core of high-mass stars is finally disrupted near the central black hole. A simple model is presented to argue that this scenario may, under plausible conditions, explain the observed location and rotation of the Galactic center He I stars. Accretion of star clusters into the Galactic center could be recurrent and could play an important role in regulating the activity of Sagittarius A*.