Contribution from Astrophysics in the Next Decade: JWST and Concurrent Facilities, Astrophysics and Space Science Proceedings, 2009, ed. H. A. Thronson, M. Stiavelli, and A. G. G. M. Tielens
astro-ph/1009.1416

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Abstract. Extreme star formation includes star formation in starbursts and regions forming super star clusters. We survey the current problems in our understanding of the star formation process in starbursts and super star clusters - initial mass functions, cluster mass functions, star formation efficiencies, and radiative feedback into molecular clouds - that are critical to our understanding of the formation and survival of large star clusters, topics that will be the drivers of the observations of the next decade.

Table of Contents

• EXTREME STAR FORMATION IN THE LOCAL UNIVERSE
• WHAT CONSTITUTES EXTREME STAR FORMATION IN THE LOCAL UNIVERSE?
• EXTREME STAR-FORMING REGIONS OF THE LOCAL UNIVERSE
• INITIAL MASS FUNCTIONS AND THE MOST MASSIVE STARS IN SSCs
• WHAT ARE THE INITIAL CLUSTER MASS FUNCTIONS FOR SSCs?
• WHAT ENVIRONMENTS LEAD TO EXTREME STAR FORMATION?
• SUPER STAR CLUSTER MORTALITY
• RADIATIVE FEEDBACK: EFFECTS ON MOLECULAR CLOUDS AND CHEMISTRY
• REFERENCES