IRAS bright galaxy sample. II. The sample and luminosity function

Journal Article · Tue Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1987 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/165536· OSTI ID:5662697

Soifer, B T; Sanders, D B; Neugebauer, G; Madore, B F; Danielson, G E

A statistically complete sample of 324 of the brightest infrared galaxies discovered at 60 microns in the IRAS all-sky survey is described. The results show that far-infrared emission is a significant luminosity component in the local universe, representing 25 percent of the luminosity emitted by stars in the same volume. Above 10 to the 11th solar luminosities, the infrared luminous galaxies are the dominant population of objects in the universe, being as numerous as the Seyfert galaxies and more numerous than quasars at higher luminosities. The infrared luminosity appears to be independent of the optical luminosity of galaxies. Most infrared bright galaxies appear to require much of the interstellar matter to be contributing to the observed infrared luminosity. Approximately 60-80 percent of the far-infrared luminosity of the local universe can be attributed, directly or indirectly, to recent or ongoing star formation. 67 references.

• Research Organization: Palomar Observatory, Pasadena, CA; David Dunlap Observatory, Richmond Hill, Canada; Palomar Observatory; California Institute of Technology, Pasadena
• OSTI ID: 5662697
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 320; ISSN ASJOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640105* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Galaxies
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
COSMIC DUST
DUSTS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
FAR INFRARED RADIATION
GALACTIC EVOLUTION
GALAXIES
INFRARED RADIATION
INTERSTELLAR SPACE
LUMINOSITY
MORPHOLOGY
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RADIATIONS
SEYFERT GALAXIES
SPACE
STAR EVOLUTION
VISIBLE RADIATION