Iras observations of Hα selected emission-line galaxies

Abstract

We present the results of IRAS observations of the UCM (Universidad Complutense de Madrid) sample of emission-line galaxies, which have been selected from wide-dispersion H_α objective-prism plates. These data are intended to provide a convenient summary of the relevant far-infrared (FIR) properties of these galaxies. Color-color diagrams, as interpreted by theoretical models, suggest that emission from UCM galaxies is mainly due to dust heated directly by photons emitted in active star-forming regions. Statistical analysis of some samples, including the IRAS minisurvey and blue-selected objective-prism samples, have been performed. Comparisons, based on FIR luminosity distributions, with the IRAS minisurvey make evident the lower metallicity of the UCM galaxies which cannot be considered as a parent population of IRAS-detected galaxies. The FIR luminosity distributions of different samples have been compared using nonparametric methods and the best correlation has been found for the UCM and Wasilewski samples. Finally, a more detailed analysis of a UCM subsample has been performed from a three component model in order to get information concerning the fractional contribution of disk, star formation activity, and nonthermal mechanisms operating in the UCM galaxies.