The conversion of the globular cluster luminosity function ( GCLF , { d } N / { d } \log { L } ) to the globular cluster mass function ( GCMF , { d } N / { d } \log { M } ) is addressed .
Dissolving globular clusters ( GCs ) become preferentially depleted in low-mass stars , which have a high mass-to-light ratio .
This has been shown to result in a mass-to-light ratio ( M / L ) that increases with GC luminosity or mass , because more massive GCs have lost a smaller fraction of their stars than low-mass GCs .
Using GC models , we study the influence of the luminosity dependency of M / L on the inferred GCMF .
The observed GCLF is consistent with a powerlaw or Schechter type GC initial mass function in combination with a cluster mass-dependent mass loss rate .
Below the peak , the logarithmic slope of the GCMF is shallower than that of the GCLF ( 0.7 versus 1.0 ) , whereas the peak mass is 0.1—0.3Â dex lower when accounting for the variability of M / L than in the case where a constant M / L is adopted .