Description
The Great Observatories All-Sky LIRG Survey (GOALS, Armus et al. 2009PASP..121..559A) is a comprehensive, multiwavelength study of luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs) in the local universe. Here we present low resolution Spitzer Infrared Spectrograph spectra covering 5-38um and provide a basic analysis of the mid-IR spectral properties observed for nearby LIRGs. In a companion paper, we discuss detailed fits to the spectra and compare the LIRGs to other classes of galaxies. The GOALS sample of 244 nuclei in 180 luminous (10^11^<=L_IR_/L_{sun}_<10^12^) and 22 ultraluminous (L_IR_/L_{sun}_>=10^12^) IR galaxies represents a complete subset of the IRAS Revised Bright Galaxy Sample (Sanders, 2003, Cat. J/AJ/126/1607) and covers a range of merger stages, morphologies, and spectral types. The majority (>60%) of the GOALS LIRGs have high 6.2um polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) equivalent widths (EQW_6.2um_>0.4um) and low levels of silicate absorption (s_9.7um_>-1.0).
|