X-ray Luminosity Functions and Star Formation Rate

I will discuss the connection between the luminosity function of a population of high-mass X-ray binaries in a galaxy and the star formation rate in the this galaxy. The understanding of this connection provides on the one hand an independent measure of an important galaxy property, and on the other hand new insights into populations of high-mass X-ray binaries. In particular, observations with the Chandra X-ray telescope are uniquely suited to investigate the X-ray part of this connection and I will present examples of this.