Star Cluster Mass and Age Distributions of Two Fields in M83 Based on
  HST/WFC3 Observations
  We study star clusters in two fields in the nearby spiral galaxy M83 using
broad and narrow band optical imaging taken with the WFC3 on-board HST. We
present results based on several different catalogs of star clusters in an
inner and outer field, and conclude that different methods of selection do not
strongly impact the results, particularly for clusters older than $\approx$10
Myr. The age distributions can be described by a power law, $dN/d\tau
\propto\tau^{\gamma}$, with $\gamma\approx -$0.84$\pm$0.12 in the inner field,
and $\gamma\approx -$0.48$\pm$0.12 in the outer field for $\tau\gtrsim$10 Myr.
We bracket the difference, $\Delta \gamma$, between the two fields to be in the
range 0.18$-$0.36, based on estimates of the relative star formation histories.
The mass functions can also be described by a power law, $dN/dM\propto
M^{\beta}$, with $\beta\approx -$1.98$\pm$0.14 and $\beta\approx $2.34$\pm$0.26
in the inner and outer fields, respectively. We conclude that the shapes of the
mass and age distributions of the clusters in the two fields are similar, as
predicted by the "quasi-universal" model. Any differences between the two
fields are at the $\approx$2$-$3$\sigma (\approx$1$-$2$\sigma)$ level for the
age (mass) distributions. Therefore any dependence of these distributions on
the local environment is probably weak. We compare the shapes of the
distributions with those predicted by two popular cluster disruption models,
and find that both show evidence that the clusters are disrupted at a rate that
is approximately independent of their mass, but that the observational results
do not support the earlier disruption of lower mass clusters relative to their
higher mass counterparts.
