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"A Spitzer Spectroscopic Survey of a Complete Sample of Luminous Infrared Galaxies in the Local Universe"

Principal Investigator: Lee Armus (Spitzer Science Center)

Total Observatory Time: 160 hours

The IRAS Revised Bright Galaxy Sample (RBGS) is a complete sample of extragalactic objects with IRAS 60-micron flux densities above 5.24 Jy, covering the full sky above abs(b)> 5 degrees. The RBGS objects are the brightest 60-micron sources in the extragalactic sky. The 21 ULIRGs and 182 LIRGs in the RBGS form a complete sample of 203 infrared luminous, local galaxies which are excellent analogs for comparisons with infrared and sub-mm selected galaxies at high redshift. We propose to obtain IRS low and high-resolution spectra of 158 LIRGs in the RBGS which, when taken to gether with the existing or planned GO and GTO observations of the remaining LIRGs and ULIRGs in the RBGS, will provide an unprecedented spectroscopic database of a complete sample of luminous infrared galaxies in the local Universe. The total requested time for this program, including all overheads, is 160 hrs. The primary goals of this proposal are to use the low and high-resolution IRS spectra to (1) search for buried AGN and determine their contribution to the bolometric luminosity, (2) determine the star-formation rates and ages, (3) characterize the state of the ionized and molecular gas, and (4) study the properties of the small and large dust grains and determine if all of these properties are a function of luminosity and/or merger stage. By observing a large sample of LIRGs with the IRS, we can build a unique spectral library that will be invaluable long after the helium on Spitzer runs out. This library will be an essential tool for understanding the galactic merger process, and the genesis of the bulk of the infrared activity at all epochs. The IRS spectra will stand on their own merits, however, when coupled with the IRAC and MIPS images, the ground-based near-infrared data, and the HST ACS and GALEX images, the spectra we request here will form a critical component of a comprehensive, multi-wavelength dataset that will serve as a lasting resource in the true spirit of the Spitzer Legacy program.

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This file was last modified on Thu Apr 24 16:45:07 2008.

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