NAM logo, by David Le Conte

Dust in galaxies:

first results from the SCUBA Local Universe Galaxy Survey

Mike Edmunds (Cardiff)

The first results of the SCUBA Local Universe and Galaxy Survey (SLUGS) will be presented - the first statistical survey of the submillimetre properties of the local universe. The sample covers the 850 micron properties of 104 galaxies from the IRAS Bright Galaxy Sample. Temperatures and masses have been derived for the dust content of the galaxies, allowing the first direct measurement of the submillimetre luminosity function, and of the dust mass function. The submillimetre luminosity function is well fit by a Schecter function, and will be of considerable value in interpreting the evolution of submillimetre sources from high redshifts.

Correlations of global galaxy properties with the submillimetre properties will be shown, a particularly strong relation being found between dust mass and CO measurements. The derived gas-to-dust ratios in galaxies will be discussed - they indicate the presence of a significant "cold dust" component at temperatures of order 20K. The observed dust masses and dust-to-gas ratios will be interpreted with elementary models of chemical evolution, and mechanisms for the formation of dust in galaxies. (Co-authors: Loretta Dunne, Steve Eales, Rob Ivison, Paul Alexander & Dave Clements.)

Maintained by Ian Howarth