Spectral Energy Distribution Analysis of Luminous Infrared Galaxies from GOALS
Abstract
The spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of the local luminous and ultraluminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs and ULIRGs) were thought to be well understood and exemplified by that of Arp 220, the "poster child" of these objects; but in fact, Arp 220 has been shown to be special in more than one way. Here we present comprehensive SEDs (from radio through x-ray) for the 88 most luminous (U)LIRGs in the Great Observatories All-sky LIRG Survey (GOALS), which combines multiwavelength imaging and spectroscopic data from space telescopes (Spitzer, HST, GALEX, and Chandra) in an effort to fully understand galaxy evolution processes and the enhanced infrared emission in the local universe. Spanning the luminosity range 11.4 < log(L_ir/L_sun) < 12.5, our objects are a complete subset of the flux-limited IRAS Revised Bright Galaxy Sample. To complement spacecraft data, we also took optical imaging data from Mauna Kea as well as searched through literature in order to compile accurate and consistent photometry and fully characterize the spectral shapes of the SEDs. We then analyzed the ratios of the radio, infrared, optical, and x-ray emission as a function of infrared luminosity and discussed the trends observed.
- Publication:
-
American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #214
- Pub Date:
- May 2009
- Bibcode:
- 2009AAS...21430803U