Star formation history since z=1.5 as inferred from rest-frame ultraviolet luminosity density evolution

We investigate the evolution of the universal rest-frame ultraviolet luminosity density from z = 1.5 to the present. We analyze an extensive sample of multicolor data (U'(AB), B-AB, V-AB = 24.5) plus spectroscopic redshifts from the Hawaii Survey Fields and the Hubble Deep Field. Our multicolor data allow us to select our sample in the rest- frame ultraviolet (2500 Angstrom) over the entire redshift range to z = 1.5. We conclude that the evolution in the luminosity density is a function of the form (1 + z)(1.7 +/- 1.0) for a at lambda (Omega(m0) = 0.3, Omega(lambda0) = 0.7) cosmology and (1 + z)(2.4 +/- 1.0) for an Einstein de Sitter cosmology.