EDP Sciences Journals List
Advanced Search
Subscriber Authentication Point
Home All issues Volume 441/3 Article
Free access article

Issue A&A
Volume 441, Number 3, October III 2005
Page(s) 949 - 960
Section Extragalactic astronomy
DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361:20052914



A&A 441, 949-960 (2005)
DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361:20052914

The star cluster population of M 51

III. Cluster disruption and formation history
M. Gieles1, N. Bastian1, H. J. G. L. M. Lamers1, 2 and J. N. Mout1

1  Astronomical Institute, Utrecht University, Princetonplein 5, 3584 CC Utrecht, The Netherlands
    e-mail: gieles@astro.uu.nl
2  SRON Laboratory for Space Research, Sorbonnelaan 2, 3584 CA Utrecht, The Netherlands

(Received 21 February 2005 / Accepted 27 May 2005 )

Abstract
In this work we concentrate on the evolution of the cluster population of the interacting galaxy M 51 (NGC 5194), more precisely the timescale of cluster disruption and possible variations in the cluster formation rate. We present a method to compare observed age vs. mass number density diagrams with predicted populations including various physical input parameters like the cluster initial mass function, cluster disruption, cluster formation rate and star bursts. If we assume that the cluster formation rate increases at the moments of the encounters with NGC 5195, we find an increase in the cluster formation rate of a factor of $\mbox{$3.0^{+4.6}_{-1.2}$ }$, combined with a disruption timescale which is slightly higher than when assuming a constant formation rate ( $t_4 = \mbox{$2.0^{+2.3}_{-1.1}\times10^8$ }$ yr vs. $\mbox{$1.0^{+0.6}_{-0.5}\times10^8$ }$ yr). The measured cluster disruption time is a factor of 5 shorter than expected on theoretical grounds. This implies that the disk of M 51 is not a preferred location for survival of young globular clusters, since even clusters with masses on the order of $10^6~\mbox{${M}_{\odot}$ }$ will be destroyed within a few Gyr.


Key words: galaxies: spiral -- galaxies: individual: M 51 -- galaxies: star clusters

SIMBAD Objects



© ESO 2005


What is OpenURL?

The OpenURL standard is a protocol for transmission of metadata describing the resource that you wish to access. An OpenURL link contains article metadata and directs it to the OpenURL server of your choice. The OpenURL server can provide access to the resource and also offer complementary services (specific search engine, export of references...). The OpenURL link can be generated by different means.
  • If your librarian has set up your subscription with an OpenURL resolver, OpenURL links appear automatically on the abstract pages.
  • You can define your own OpenURL resolver with your EDPS Account. In this case your choice will be given priority over that of your library.
  • You can use an add-on for your browser (Firefox or I.E.) to display OpenURL links on a page (see http://www.openly.com/openurlref/). You should disable this module if you wish to use the OpenURL server that you or your library have defined.