The disruption time of clusters in selected regions of four galaxies
Abstract
If the cluster formation rate is constant and the disruption time of clusters depends on their initial mass as tdis= t4 x (Mi/104 Msun)gamma, where Mi is the initial mass of a cluster, t4 is the disruption time of a cluster of Mi=104 Msun and gamma is an exponent, then the values of t4 and gamma can be derived in a very simple way from the age and mass histograms of large homogeneous samples of clusters with reliable age and/or mass determinations. We demonstrate the method and derive the values of t4 and gamma from cluster samples in selected fields of four galaxies: M51, M33, SMC and the solar neighbourhood. The values of the exponent gamma are the same within their uncertainties in the four galaxies with gamma = 0.62 +- 0.06. However, the disruption time t4 of clusters of 104 Msun is very different in the different locations. It is shortest in the inner region of M51 (t4 = 40 Myr) and highest in the SMC (t4=8 Gyr).
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