Starbursts luminosities based on PAH

Luminosity {nu}L_{nu}_(7.7um) for the peak luminosity of the 7.7um PAH emission feature is found to scale as log[{nu}L_{nu}_(7.7{mu}m)]=44.63(+/-0.09)+2.48(+/-0.28)log(1+z) for the most luminous starbursts observed. Empirical calibrations of {nu}L_{nu}_(7.7um) are used to determine bolometric luminosity L_IR_ and the star formation rate (SFR) for these starbursts.

The most luminous starbursts found in this sample have logL_IR_=45.4(+/-0.3)+2.5(+/-0.3)log(1+z), in ergs/s, and the maximum star formation rates for starbursts in units of M_{sun}_/yr are log(SFR)=2.1(+/-0.3)+2.5(+/-0.3)log(1+z), up to z=2.5. The exponent for pure luminosity evolution agrees with optical and radio studies of starbursts but is flatter than previous results based in infrared source counts. The maximum star formation rates are similar to the maxima determined for submillimeter galaxies; the most luminous individual starburst included within the sample has logL_IR_=46.9, which gives an SFR=3.4x10^3^M_{sun}/yr.