2012MNRAS.426.2677R

We present infrared bolometric luminosity corrections derived from the detailed spectral energy distributions of 62 bright quasars of low to moderate redshift (z = 0.03–1.4). At 1.5,2, 3, 7,12,15 and 24 µm we provide bolometric corrections of the mathematical forms L_iso = ζλL_λ and log(L_iso) = A + B log(λL_λ). Bolometric corrections for radio-loud and radio-quiet objects are consistent within 95 per cent confidence intervals, so we do not separate them. Bolometric luminosities estimated using these corrections are typically smaller than those derived from some commonly used in the literature. We investigate the possibility of a luminosity-dependent bolometric correction and find that, while the data are consistent with such a correction, the dispersion is too large and the luminosity range too small to warrant such a detailed interpretation. Bolometric corrections at 1.5 µm are appropriate for objects with properties that fall in the range log(L_bol) = 45.4–47.3 and bolometric corrections at all other wavelengths are appropriate for objects with properties that fall in the range log(L_bol) = 45.1–47.0.