2002/05/24 by Eric F. Bell, Bell, Eric F.
Chemistry · Physics and Astronomy · #Astrophysics (astro-ph) #Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies #FOS: Physical sciences #Spectroscopy and Laser Applications #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.astro-ph/0205439
5 pages, 3 embedded figures. Astrophysical Journal, accepted. Scheduled to appear on 20th September 2002
arxiv created 2002/05/24 · openalex publication_date 2002/05/24 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Rest-frame far-ultraviolet (FUV) luminosities form the `backbone' of our\nunderstanding of star formation at all cosmic epochs. These luminosities are\ntypically corrected for dust by assuming that the tight relationship between\nthe UV spectral slopes and the FUV attenuations of starburst galaxies applies\nfor all star-forming galaxies. Data from seven independent UV experiments\ndemonstrates that quiescent, `normal' star-forming galaxies deviate\nsubstantially from the starburst galaxy spectral slope-attenuation correlation,\nin the sense that normal galaxies are redder than starbursts. Spatially\nresolved data for the Large Magellanic Cloud suggests that dust geometry and\nproperties, coupled with a small contribution from older stellar populations,\ncause deviations from the starburst galaxy spectral slope-attenuation\ncorrelation. Folding in data for starbursts and ultra-luminous infrared\ngalaxies, it is clear that neither rest-frame UV-optical colors nor UV/H-alpha\nsignificantly help in constraining the UV attenuation. These results argue that\nthe estimation of SF rates from rest-frame UV and optical data alone is subject\nto large (factors of at least a few) systematic uncertainties because of dust,\nwhich cannot be reliably corrected for using only UV/optical diagnostics.\n