The Infrared Spectral Energy Distribution of Normal Star-forming Galaxies

We present a new phenomenological model for the spectral energy distribution of normal star-forming galaxies between 3 and 1100 μm. A sequence of realistic galaxy spectra are constructed from a family of dust emission curves assuming a power-law distribution of dust mass over a wide range of interstellar radiation fields. For each interstellar radiation field heating intensity, we combine emission curves for large and very small grains and aromatic feature carriers. The model is constrained by IRAS and ISOCAM broadband photometric and ISOPHOT spectrophotometric observations for our sample of 69 normal galaxies; the model reproduces well the empirical spectra and infrared color trends. These model spectra allow us to determine the infrared energy budget for normal galaxies and in particular to translate far-infrared fluxes into total (bolometric) infrared fluxes. The 20-42 μm range appears to show the most significant growth in relative terms as the activity level increases, suggesting that the 20-42 μm continuum may be the best dust emission tracer of current star formation in galaxies. The redshift dependence of infrared color-color diagrams and the far-infrared-to-radio correlation for galaxies are also explored.