Galaxies 09: Assembly, Gas Content and Star Formation History of Galaxies

Robert Bussmann
University of Arizona

Comparing the specific star formation rates of $z\sim$ 2 ULIRGs: DOGs and SMGs

The advent of the {\it Spitzer} Space Telescope has revolutionized the field of IR astronomy by resolving most of the Cosmic IR background. Comprising a significant component of the IR background is a new population of $z \sim 2$ ULIRGs which has been identified via the combination of deep IR imaging with {\it Spitzer} and ground-based imaging in the optical (Dust Obscured Galaxies, or DOGs). In this contribution, we undertake a systematic comparison of the intrinsic properties of DOGs and sub-millimeter galaxies (SMGs), another well-studied $z \sim 2$ ULIRG population. We utilize far-IR + radio imaging to estimate star formation rates and mid-IR + optical data to estimate stellar masses and thereby obtain specific star formation rates.

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