Starburst Spectral Energy Distributions

Starburst SEDs

As the starburst luminosity increases, the IR peak shifts to warmer dust and increases enormously in strength compared to the modest (largely obscured) increase in optical luminosity. (Note also, for AGN, an additional 25µm component enters, making the overall IR colors "warm" compared to starbursts.
Image Credit: Sanders & Mirabel ARAA ??? Figure 2

Starburst SEDs
As the starburst luminosity increases, the IR peak shifts to warmer dust and increases enormously in strength compared to the modest (largely obscured) increase in optical luminosity. (Note also, for AGN, an additional 25µm component enters, making the overall IR colors "warm" compared to starbursts. Image Credit: Sanders & Mirabel ARAA ??? Figure 2