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Takagi, T.; Matsuhara, H.; Wada, T.; Oyabu, S.; Goto, T.; Ohyama, Y.; Hanami, H.; Pearson, C. P.; Serjeant, S.; Negrello, M.; White, G.; Im, M.; Lee, H. M.; Malkan, M. and Extragalactic Team, AKARI
(2009).
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1051/spica/200904017
Abstract
Large area surveys in the infrared wavelengths have revealed a significant evolution of the star formation activity of the universe in the past. The extragalactic sur- vey we have conduced with AKARI towards the north ecliptic pole (NEP) is unique, in terms of a comprehensive wavelength coverage from 2 to 24 micron using all 9 photometric bands of the Infrared Camera (IRC). We demonstrate that this IRC all-band photometry is capable of tracing a steep rise in the flux at the blue side of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) 6.2 micron emission feature of infrared luminous galaxies at z < 1. This allows us to estimate redshifts of mid-IR sources and identify `ultra-luminous starburst galaxies', based on mid-IR spectral energy distributions (SEDs). SPICA could inherit this unique capability of AKARI and extend the study to typical galaxy populations at z ~ 2, i.e. a critical period of galaxy formation.