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Description
Spitzer data at 24, 70, and 160um and ground-based H{alpha} images are analyzed for a sample of 189 nearby star-forming and starburst galaxies to investigate whether reliable star formation rate (SFR) indicators can be defined using the monochromatic infrared dust emission centered at 70 and 160um. We compare recently published recipes for SFR measures using combinations of the 24um and observed H{alpha} luminosities with those using 24um luminosity alone. From these comparisons, we derive a reference SFR indicator for use in our analysis. Linear correlations between SFR and the 70um and 160um luminosity are found for L(70)>~1.4x10^42^erg/s and L(160)>~2x10^42^erg/s, corresponding to SFR>~0.1-0.3M_{sun}_/yr, and calibrations of SFRs based on L(70) and L(160) are proposed. Below those two luminosity limits, the relation between SFR and 70um (160um) luminosity is nonlinear and SFR calibrations become problematic. A more important limitation is the dispersion of the data around the mean trend, which increases for increasing wavelength.
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