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Description
In this paper, we characterize the infrared spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of mid-IR-selected z~0.3-3.0 and L_IR_~10^11^-10^13^L_{sun}_ galaxies, and study how their SEDs differ from those of local and high-z analogs. Infrared SEDs depend both on the power source (AGN or star formation) and the dust distribution. Therefore, differences in the SEDs of high-z and local galaxies provide clues as to differences in their physical conditions. Our mid-IR flux-limited sample of 191 sources is unique in size, and spectral coverage, including Spitzer mid-IR spectroscopy. Here, we add Herschel photometry at 250{mu}m, 350{mu}m, and 500{mu}m, which allows us, through fitting an empirical SED model, to obtain accurate total IR luminosities, as well as constrain the relative contributions of AGNs and starbursts to those luminosities. Our sample includes three broad categories of SEDs: ~23% of the sources are AGNs (i.e., where the AGN contributes >50% of L_IR_), ~30% are starbursts where an AGN contributes <20% of L_IR_, and the mid-IR spectra are starburst-like (i.e., strong polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon features); and the largest group (~47%) are composites which show both significant AGN and starburst activity. In summary, our results show that there is strong evolution in the SEDs between local and z~2 IR-luminous galaxies, as well as that there is a wide range of SEDs among high redshift IR-luminous sources. The publicly available SED templates we derive from our sample will be particularly useful for infrared population synthesis models, as well as in the interpretation of other mid-IR high-z galaxies, in particular those detected by the recent all sky Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer.
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