From Feedback-free Star Clusters to Little Red Dots via Compaction

Abstract

Abstract We address the origin of the little red dots (LRDs) seen by JWST at cosmic morning ( z = 4–8) as compact stellar systems with overmassive black holes (BHs). We propose that LRDs form naturally after feedback-free starbursts (FFB) in thousands of star clusters and following wet compaction. Analytically, we show how the clusters enable efficient dry migration of stars and BHs to galaxy centers by two-body segregation and dynamical friction against the disk. The clusters merge to form compact central stellar systems as observed. Mutual tidal stripping does not qualitatively affect the analysis. The young, rotating clusters are natural sites for the formation of BH seeds via rapid core collapse. The migrating clusters carry the BH seeds, which merge into central supermassive black holes (SMBHs). Compactions are required to deepen the potential wells such that the SMBHs are retained after postmerger gravitational-wave recoils, locked to the galaxy centers. Using cosmological simulations at different epochs, with different codes and physical recipes, we evaluate the additional growth of LRD-matching compact central stellar systems by global compaction events. Adding to the dry growth by cluster mergers, the compactions can increase the escape velocities to retain the SMBHs. The LRDs appear at z ∼ 8, after the formation of FFB clusters, and disappear after z ∼ 4 when the stellar mass is above 10 9 M ⊙ by growing postcompaction blue disks around the nuclear LRDs. The LRD abundance is expected to be ∼10 −5 –10 −4 Mpc −3 , increasing from z ∼ 4 to z ∼ 8.

The authors' abstract, as published at the source. The Astrophysical Journal, 2026 · DOI ↗