  In this work we concentrate on the evolution of the cluster population of the
interacting galaxy M51 (NGC 5194), namely 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 3, combined with a disruption timescale which is slightly
higher then when assuming a constant formation rate (t_4 = 200 Myr vs. 100
Myr). The measured cluster disruption time is a factor of 5 shorter than
expected on theoretical grounds. This implies that the disk of M51 is not a
preferred location for survival of young globular clusters, since even clusters
with masses of the order of 10^6 M_sun will be destroyed within a few Gyr.

Astrophysics