AbstractWe studied a statistically complete sample of 57 southern socalled extreme IRAS galaxies, i.e., objects with a high far-infrared/blue luminosity ratio, LFIR/LB>3, using optical (imaging and spectra), radio continuum, and CO(1–0) line observations. The sample can be divided into three distinct categories: dwarfs (20%), barred spirals (35%), and interacting systems (35%). The barred galaxies are generally morphologically undisturbed, isolated systems, with average star formation rates (4 M⊙ yr–1) and efficiencies (LFIR/MH2 = 16 L⊙/M⊙) for galaxies in our sample. An enhanced massive star formation rate is the cause of the infrared brightness in 93% of all galaxies in the sample. The nuclear region is the most important star formation locus, generally unresolved at 1" resolution, i.e., less than 0.2-0.6 kpc size (H0=75 km s–1 Mpc–1), though 2 kpc size in three cases. In about two-thirds of the extreme IRAS SB’s, fainter, diffuse (2.5-10 kpc size) massive star formation is seen in the bar as well.
Hierarchical structure of the Madden-Julian oscillation in infrared brightness temperature revealed through nonlinear Laplacian spectral analysis
