[FE-II] 1.64 MICRON EMISSION IN HIGH-LUMINOSITY AND ULTRALUMINOUS IRAS GALAXIES

The starburst plus radio hypernovae scenario presented for high-lumino sity (HLIRGs) and ultraluminous IRAS galaxies (ULIRGs) in Colina & Per ez-Olea (1992) is used to predict the [Fe II] 1.64 mum luminosity in t hese galaxies, as well as the [Fe II] 1.64 mum, radio, and Brgamma lum inosity rates. These are good indicators to characterize starbursts in heavily obscured environments, i.e., buried starbursts, such as those believed to exist in HLIRGs and ULIRGs. The predicted [Fe II] 1.64 mu m luminosity for HLIRGs and ULIRGs is in the range 10(40)-10(42) ergs s-1 while the rate of [Fe II] 1.64 mum to radio luminosity, with a mea n value of 17, is almost independent of the initial mass function para meters. On the contrary, the [Fe II] 1.64 mum-Brgamma luminosity rate changes from 0.05 to 1.42 as a function of the slope and upper mass li mit of the initial mass function. The starburst plus radio hypernovae hypothesis is consistent with the observations if a low upper mass lim it of 25-30 M., is considered. However, starbursts have difficulties i n explaining observed [Fe II] 1.64 mum/Brgamma ratios well above 1.4, as in NGC 7469.