The Energy Output of the Universe from 0.1 to 1000 μm

The dominant source of electromagnetic energy in the universe today (over ultraviolet, optical, and near-infrared wavelengths) is starlight. However, quantifying the amount of starlight produced has proved difficult due to interstellar dust grains that attenuate some unknown fraction of the light. C...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Astrophysical journal 2008-05, Vol.678 (2), p.L101-L104
Main Authors: Driver, Simon P, Popescu, Cristina C, Tuffs, Richard J, Graham, Alister W, Liske, Jochen, Baldry, Ivan
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Astronomy
Earth, ocean, space
Exact sciences and technology
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Summary:The dominant source of electromagnetic energy in the universe today (over ultraviolet, optical, and near-infrared wavelengths) is starlight. However, quantifying the amount of starlight produced has proved difficult due to interstellar dust grains that attenuate some unknown fraction of the light. Combining a recently calibrated galactic dust model with observations of 10,000 nearby galaxies, we find that (integrated over all galaxy types and orientations) only 11% plus or minus 2% of the 0.1 mu m photons escape their host galaxies; this value rises linearly (with log lambda ) to 87% plus or minus 3% at 2.1 mu m. We deduce that the energy output from stars in the nearby universe is (1.6 plus or minus 0.2) x 10 super(35) W Mpc super(-3), of which (0.9 plus or minus 0.1) x 10 super(35) W Mpc super(-3) escapes directly into the intergalactic medium. Some further ramifications of dust attenuation are discussed, and equations that correct individual galaxy flux measurements for its effect are provided.
ISSN:1538-4357
0004-637X
1538-4357
DOI:10.1086/588582