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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 04 August 2017
The mathematical treatment of encounters is discussed briefly, and it is pointed out that in a spherical system with an isotropic distribution function and equal-mass stars, the relevant equations can be analytically orbit-averaged. Even in small systems, close encounters have little effect on core collapse. Near a black hole, however, close encounters may cause an accumulation of stars on large, very eccentric orbits.