Table of contents

We present images, integrated photometry, and surface-brightness and color profiles for a total of 1034 nearby galaxies recently observed by the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) satellite in its far-ultraviolet (FUV; λ_eff = 1516 Å) and near-ultraviolet (NUV; λ_eff = 2267 Å) bands. Our catalog of objects is derived primarily from the GALEX Nearby Galaxies Survey (NGS) supplemented by galaxies larger than 1' in diameter serendipitously found in these fields and in other GALEX exposures of similar of greater depth. The sample analyzed here adequately describes the distribution and full range of properties (luminosity, color, star formation rate [SFR]) of galaxies in the local universe. From the surface brightness profiles obtained we have computed asymptotic magnitudes, colors, and luminosities, along with the concentration indices C31 and C42. We have also morphologically classified the UV surface brightness profiles according to their shape. This data set has been complemented with archival optical, near-infrared, and far-infrared fluxes and colors. We find that the integrated (FUV − K) color provides robust discrimination between elliptical and spiral/irregular galaxies and also among spiral galaxies of different subtypes. Elliptical galaxies with brighter K-band luminosities (i.e., more massive) are redder in (NUV − K) color but bluer in (FUV − NUV) (a color sensitive to the presence of a strong UV upturn) than less massive ellipticals. In the case of the spiral/irregular galaxies our analysis shows the presence of a relatively tight correlation between the (FUV − NUV) color (or, equivalently, the slope of the UV spectrum, β) and the total infrared-to-UV ratio. The correlation found between (FUV − NUV) color and K-band luminosity (with lower luminosity objects being bluer than more luminous ones) can be explained as due to an increase in the dust content with galaxy luminosity. The images in this Atlas along with the profiles and integrated properties are publicly available through a dedicated Web page.

Using a sample of galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey spectroscopic catalog with measured star formation rates (SFRs) and ultraviolet (UV) photometry from the GALEX Medium Imaging Survey, we derived empirical linear correlations between the SFR to UV luminosity ratio and the UV–optical colors of blue-sequence galaxies. The relations provide a simple prescription to correct UV data for dust attenuation that best reconciles the SFRs derived from UV and emission-line data. The method breaks down for the red-sequence population as well as for very blue galaxies such as the local "supercompact" UV luminous galaxies and the majority of high-redshift Lyman break galaxies, which form a low-attenuation sequence of their own.

We measure star formation rates (SFRs) of ≈50,000 optically selected galaxies in the local universe (z ≈ 0.1)—from gas-rich dwarfs to massive ellipticals. We obtain dust-corrected SFRs by fitting the GALEX (ultraviolet) and SDSS photometry to a library of dust-attenuated population synthesis models. For star-forming galaxies, our UV-based SFRs compare remarkably well with those from SDSS-measured emission lines (Hα). Deviations from perfect agreement are shown to be due to differences in the dust attenuation estimates. In contrast to Hα measurements, UV provides reliable SFRs for galaxies with weak Hα, and where Hα is contaminated with AGN emission (1/2 of the sample). Using full-SED SFRs, we calibrate a simple prescription that uses GALEX far- and near-UV magnitudes to produce dust-corrected SFRs for normal star-forming galaxies. The specific SFR is considered as a function of stellar mass for (1) star-forming galaxies with no AGNs, (2) those hosting an AGN, and (3) galaxies without Hα emission. We find that the three have distinct star formation histories, with AGNs lying intermediate between the star-forming and the quiescent galaxies. Star-forming galaxies without an AGN lie on a relatively narrow linear sequence. Remarkably, galaxies hosting a strong AGN appear to represent the massive continuation of this sequence. On the other hand, weak AGNs, while also massive, have lower SFRs, sometimes extending to the realm of quiescent galaxies. We propose an evolutionary sequence for massive galaxies that smoothly connects normal star-forming galaxies to quiescent galaxies via strong and weak AGNs. We confirm that some galaxies with no Hα show signs of star formation in the UV. We derive a cosmic star formation density at z = 0.1 with significantly smaller total error than previous measurements.

We have analyzed the bivariate distribution of galaxies as a function of ultraviolet-optical colors and absolute magnitudes in the local universe. The sample consists of galaxies with redshifts and optical photometry from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) main galaxy sample matched with detections in the near-ultraviolet (NUV) and far-ultraviolet (FUV) bands in the Medium Imaging Survey being carried out by the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) satellite. In the (NUV − r)_0.1 versus M_r,0.1 galaxy color-magnitude diagram, the galaxies separate into two well-defined blue and red sequences. The (NUV − r)_0.1 color distribution at each M_r,0.1 is not well fit by the sum of two Gaussians due to an excess of galaxies in between the two sequences. The peaks of both sequences become redder with increasing luminosity, with a distinct blue peak visible up to M_r,0.1 ∼ − 23. The r_0.1-band luminosity functions vary systematically with color, with the faint-end slope and characteristic luminosity gradually increasing with color. After correcting for attenuation due to dust, we find that approximately one-quarter of the color variation along the blue sequence is due to dust, with the remainder due to star formation history and metallicity. Finally, we present the distribution of galaxies as a function of specific star formation rate and stellar mass. The specific star formation rates imply that galaxies along the blue sequence progress from low-mass galaxies with star formation rates that increase somewhat with time to more massive galaxies with a more or less constant star formation rate. Above a stellar mass of ~10^10.5M_☉, galaxies with low ratios of current to past averaged star formation rate begin to dominate.

We use the UV-optical color magnitude diagram in combination with spectroscopic and photometric measurements derived from the SDSS spectroscopic sample to measure the distribution of galaxies in the local universe (z < 0.25) and their physical properties as a function of specific star formation rate (SFR/M_⋆) and stellar mass (M_⋆). Throughout this study our emphasis is on the properties of galaxies on and off of a local "star-forming sequence." We discuss how the physical characteristics of galaxies along this sequence are related to scaling relations typically derived for galaxies of different morphological types. We find, among other trends, that our measure of the star formation rate surface density, Σ_SFR, is nearly constant along this sequence. We discuss this result and implications for galaxies at higher redshift. For the first time, we report on measurements of the local UV luminosity function versus galaxy structural parameters, as well as inclination. We also split our sample into disk-dominated and bulge-dominated subsamples using the i-band Sersic index and find that disk-dominated galaxies occupy a very tight locus in SFR/M_⋆ vs. M_⋆ space, while bulge-dominated galaxies display a much larger spread of SFR/M_⋆ at fixed stellar mass. A significant fraction of galaxies with SFR/M_⋆ and Σ_SFR above those on the "star-forming sequence" are bulge-dominated. We can use our derived distribution functions to ask whether a significant fraction of these galaxies may be experiencing a final episode of star formation (possibly induced by a merger or other burst), soon to be quenched, by determining whether this population can explain the growth rate of the non-star-forming galaxies on the "red sequence." We find that this is a plausible scenario for bulge-dominated galaxies near the characteristic transition mass under reasonable assumptions regarding quenching timescales. Similarly, we use this technique to estimate the rate of mergers/starbursts that take galaxies off of the star-forming sequence and show that the implied merger rates are consistent with local measurements.

We introduce a new quantity, the mass flux density of galaxies evolving from the blue sequence to the red sequence. We propose a simple technique for constraining this mass flux using the volume-corrected number density in the extinction-corrected UV-optical color-magnitude distribution, the stellar age indexes Hδ_A and D_n(4000) , and a simple prescription for spectral evolution using a quenched star formation history. We exploit the excellent separation of red and blue sequences in the NUV − r band Hess function. The final value we measure, _T = 0.033 M_☉ yr⁻¹ Mpc⁻³, is strictly speaking an upper limit due to the possible contributions of bursting, composite, and extincted galaxies. However, it compares favorably with estimates of the average mass flux that we make based on the red luminosity function evolution derived from the DEEP2 and COMBO-17 surveys, _R = +0.034 M_☉ yr⁻¹ Mpc⁻³. We find that the blue sequence mass has remained roughly constant since z = 1 (_B ≃ 0.01 M_☉ yr⁻¹ Mpc⁻³), but the average on-going star formation of _SF ≃ 0.037 M_☉ yr⁻¹ Mpc⁻³ over 0 < z < 1 is balanced by mass flux off the blue sequence. We explore the nature of the galaxies in the transition zone with particular attention to the frequency and impact of active galactic nuclei (AGNs). The AGN fraction peaks in the transition zone. We find circumstantial, albeit weak evidence that the quench rates are higher in higher luminosity AGNs.

We analyze a volume-limited sample of massive bulge-dominated galaxies with data from both the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) satellite. The galaxies have central velocity dispersions greater than 100 km s⁻¹ and stellar surface mass densities that lie above the value where galaxies transition from actively star-forming to passive systems. The sample is limited to redshifts 0.03 < z < 0.07. At these distances, the SDSS spectra sample the light from the bulge-dominated central regions of the galaxies. The GALEX NUV data provide high sensitivity to low rates of global star formation in these systems. Our sample of bulge-dominated galaxies exhibits a much larger dispersion in NUV − r color than in optical g − r color. The dispersion increases for galaxies with smaller central velocity dispersions, and nearly all of the galaxies with bluer NUV − r colors are active galactic nuclei (AGNs). Both GALEX images and SDSS color profiles demonstrate that the excess UV light is nearly always associated with an extended disk. When comparing fiber-based estimates of stellar age to global ones, we find that galaxies with red outer regions almost never have a young bulge or a strong AGN. Galaxies with blue outer regions have bulges and black holes that span a wide range in age and accretion rate. Galaxies with young bulges and strongly accreting black holes almost always have blue outer disks. The black hole growth rate correlates much more strongly with the age of the stars in the bulge than in the disk. Our suggested scenario is one in which the source of gas that builds the bulge and black hole is a low-mass reservoir of cold gas in the disk. The presence of this gas is a necessary but not sufficient condition for bulge and black hole growth. Some mechanism must transport this gas inward in a time variable way. The disk gas itself is likely to be the result of the accretion of gas from an external source. As the gas in the disk is converted into stars, galaxies will turn red, but further inflow can bring them back into the blue NUV − r sequence.

The color of galaxies is a fundamental property, easily measured, that constrains models of galaxies and their evolution. Dust attenuation and star formation history (SFH) are the dominant factors affecting the color of galaxies. Here we explore the empirical relation between SFH, attenuation, and color for a wide range of galaxies, including early types. These galaxies have been observed by GALEX, SDSS, and Spitzer, allowing the construction of measures of dust attenuation from the ratio of infrared (IR) to ultraviolet (UV) flux and measures of SFH from the strength of the 4000 Å break. The empirical relation between these three quantities is compared to models that separately predict the effects of dust and SFH on color. This comparison demonstrates the quantitative consistency of these simple models with the data and hints at the power of multiwavelength data for constraining these models. The UV color is a strong constraint; we find that a Milky Way extinction curve is disfavored, and that the UV emission of galaxies with large 4000 Å break strengths is likely to arise from evolved populations. We perform fits to the relation between SFH, attenuation, and color. This relation links the production of starlight and its absorption by dust to the subsequent reemission of the absorbed light in the IR. Galaxy models that self-consistently treat dust absorption and emission as well as stellar populations will need to reproduce these fitted relations in the low-redshift universe.

The meaningful comparison of models of galaxy evolution to observations is critically dependent on the accurate treatment of dust attenuation. To investigate dust absorption and emission in galaxies we have assembled a sample of ~1000 galaxies with UV through IR photometry from GALEX, SDSS, and Spitzer, and optical spectroscopy from SDSS. The ratio of IR to UV emission (IRX) is used to constrain the dust attenuation in galaxies. We use the 4000 Å break as a robust and useful, although coarse, indicator of star formation history (SFH). We examine the relationship between IRX and the UV spectral slope (a common attenuation indicator at high redshift) and find little dependence of the scatter on D_n(4000) . We construct average UV through far-IR spectral energy distributions (SEDs) for different ranges of IRX, D_n(4000) , and stellar mass (M_*) to show the variation of the entire SED with these parameters. When binned simultaneously by IRX, D_n(4000) , and M_* these SEDs allow us to determine a low-resolution average attenuation curve for different ranges of M_*. The attenuation curves thus derived are consistent with a λ^−0.7 attenuation law, and we find no significant variations with M_*. Finally, we show the relationship between IRX and the global stellar mass surface density and gas-phase metallicity. Among star-forming galaxies we find a strong correlation between IRX and stellar mass surface density, even at constant metallicity, a result that is closely linked to the well-known correlation between IRX and star formation rate.

We select far-infrared (FIR: 60 μm) and far-ultraviolet (FUV: 530 Å) samples of nearby galaxies in order to discuss the biases encountered by monochromatic surveys (FIR or FUV). Very different volumes are sampled by each selection, and much care is taken to apply volume corrections to all the analyses. The distributions of the bolometric luminosity of young stars are compared for both samples: they are found to be consistent with each other for galaxies of intermediate luminosities, but some differences are found for high (>5 × 10¹⁰L_☉) luminosities. The shallowness of the IRAS survey prevents us from securing a comparison at low luminosities (<2 × 10⁹L_☉). The ratio of the total infrared (TIR) luminosity to the FUV luminosity is found to increase with the bolometric luminosity in a similar way for both samples up to 5 × 10¹⁰L_☉. Brighter galaxies are found to have a different behavior according to their selection: the L_TIR/L_FUV ratio of the FUV-selected galaxies brighter than 5 × 10¹⁰L_☉ reaches a plateau, whereas L_TIR/L_FUV continues to increase with the luminosity of bright galaxies selected in FIR. The volume-averaged specific star formation rate (SFR per unit galaxy stellar mass, SSFR) is found to decrease toward massive galaxies within each selection. The mean values of the SSFR are found to be larger than those measured for optical and NIR-selected samples over the whole mass range for the FIR selection, and for masses larger than 10¹⁰M_☉ for the FUV selection. Luminous and massive galaxies selected in FIR appear as active as galaxies with similar characteristics detected at z ∼ 0.7.

We use a new stacking technique to obtain mean mid-IR and far-IR to far-UV flux ratios over the rest-frame near-UV, near-IR color-magnitude diagram. We employ COMBO-17 redshifts and COMBO-17 optical, GALEX far- and near-UV, and Spitzer IRAC and MIPS mid-IR photometry. This technique permits us to probe the infrared excess (IRX), the ratio of far-IR to far-UV luminosity, and the specific star formation rate (SSFR) and their coevolution over 2 orders of magnitude of stellar mass and over redshift 0.1 < z < 1.2. We find that the SSFR and the characteristic mass (₀) above which the SSFR drops increase with redshift (downsizing). At any given epoch, the IRX is an increasing function of mass up to ₀. Above this mass the IRX falls, suggesting gas exhaustion. In a given mass bin below ₀, the IRX increases with time in a fashion consistent with enrichment. We interpret these trends using a simple model with a Schmidt-Kennicutt law and extinction that tracks gas density and enrichment. We find that the average IRX and SSFR follow a galaxy age parameter ξ, which is determined mainly by the galaxy mass and time since formation. We conclude that blue-sequence galaxies have properties which show simple, systematic trends with mass and time such as the steady buildup of heavy elements in the interstellar media of evolving galaxies and the exhaustion of gas in galaxies that are evolving off the blue sequence. The IRX represents a tool for selecting galaxies at various stages of evolution.

We study dust attenuation and stellar mass of z ∼ 0.6 star-forming galaxies using new SWIRE observations in IR and GALEX observations in UV. Two samples are selected from the SWIRE and GALEX source catalogs in the SWIRE/GALEX field ELAIS-N1-00 (Ω = 0.8 deg²). The UV-selected sample has 600 galaxies with photometric redshift (hereafter photo-z) 0.5 ⩽ z ⩽ 0.7 and NUV ⩽ 23.5 (corresponding to L_FUV ⩾ 10^9.6L_☉). The IR-selected sample contains 430 galaxies with f_{24 μ m} ⩾ 0.2 mJy (L_dust ⩾ 10^10.8L_☉) in the same photo-z range. It is found that the mean L_dust/L_FUV ratios of the z = 0.6 UV galaxies are consistent with that of their z = 0 counterparts of the same L_FUV. For IR galaxies, the mean L_dust/L_FUV ratios of the z = 0.6 LIRGs (L_dust ∼ 10¹¹L_☉) are about a factor of 2 lower than local LIRGs, whereas z = 0.6 ULIRGs (L_dust ∼ 10¹²L_☉) have the same mean L_dust/L_FUV ratios as their local counterparts. This is consistent with the hypothesis that the dominant component of LIRG population has changed from large, gas-rich spirals at z > 0.5 to major mergers at z = 0. The stellar mass of z = 0.6 UV galaxies of L_FUV ⩽ 10^10.2L_☉ is about a factor of 2 less than their local counterparts of the same luminosity, indicating growth of these galaxies. The mass of z = 0.6 UV luminous galaxies (UVLGs: L_FUV > 10^10.2L_☉) and IR-selected galaxies, which are nearly exclusively LIRGs and ULIRGs, is the same as their local counterparts.

We report on the properties of a sample of ultraviolet-luminous galaxies (UVLGs) selected by matching the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) All-Sky Imaging and Medium Imaging Surveys with the Sloan Digital Sky Survey third data release. The overlap between these two surveys is roughly 450 deg². Of 25,362 galaxies (with SDSS spectroscopy) in the range 0.0 < z < 0.3 detected by GALEX, there are 215 galaxies with L > 2 × 10¹⁰L_☉ at 1530 Å (observed wavelength). The properties of this population are well correlated with ultraviolet surface brightness. We find that the galaxies with low UV surface brightness are primarily large spiral systems with a mixture of old and young stellar populations, while the high surface brightness galaxies consist primarily of compact starburst systems, with an approximate boundary at a surface brightness of I₁₅₃₀ = 10⁸L_☉ kpc⁻². The large galaxies appear to be the high-luminosity tail of the galaxy star formation function and owe their large luminosity to their large surface area. In terms of the behavior of surface brightness with luminosity, size with luminosity, the mass-metallicity relation, and other parameters, the compact UVLGs clearly depart from the trends established by the full sample of galaxies. The subset of compact UVLGs with the highest surface brightness (I₁₅₃₀ > 10⁹L_☉ kpc⁻²; "supercompact UVLGs") have characteristics that are remarkably similar to Lyman break galaxies at higher redshift. They are much more luminous (and thus have much higher star formation rates) than typical local ultraviolet-bright starburst galaxies and blue compact dwarf galaxies. They have metallicities that are systematically lower than normal galaxies of the same stellar mass, indicating that they are less chemically evolved. In all these respects, they are the best local analogs for Lyman break galaxies.

Ultraviolet-luminous galaxies (UVLGs) have been identified as intensely star-forming nearby galaxies. A subset of these, the supercompact UVLGs, are believed to be local analogs of high-redshift Lyman break galaxies. Here we investigate the radio continuum properties of this important population for the first time. We have observed 42 supercompact UVLGs with the VLA, all of which have extensive coverage in the UV/optical by GALEX and SDSS. Our analysis includes comparison samples of multiwavelength data from the Spitzer First Look Survey and from the SDSS-GALEX matched catalogs. In addition we have Spitzer MIPS data for 24 of our galaxies and find that they fall on the radio-FIR correlation of normal star-forming galaxies. We find that our galaxies have lower radio to UV ratios and lower Balmer decrements than other local galaxies with similar (high) star formation rates. Optical spectra show they have lower D_n(4000) and H δ_A indices, higher Hβ emission-line equivalent widths, and higher [O III]5007/Hβ emission-line ratios than normal star-forming galaxies. Comparing these results to galaxy spectral evolution models we conclude that supercompact UVLGs are distinguished from normal star-forming galaxies firstly by their high specific star formation rates. Moreover, compared to other types of galaxies with similar star formation rates, they have significantly less dust attenuation. In both regards they are similar to Lyman break galaxies. This suggests that the process that causes star formation in the supercompact UVLGs differs from other local star-forming galaxies, but may be similar to Lyman break galaxies.

We report results from a pilot program to obtain spectroscopy for objects detected in the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) Medium Imaging Survey (MIS). Our study examines the properties of galaxies detected by GALEX fainter than the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) spectroscopic survey. This is the first study to extend the techniques of Salim and coworkers to estimate stellar masses, star formation rates (SFRs), and the b (star formation history) parameter for star-forming galaxies out to z ∼ 0.7. We obtain redshifts for 50 GALEX MIS sources reaching NUV = 23.9 (AB mag) having counterparts in the SDSS Data Release 4 (DR4). Of our sample, 43 are star-forming galaxies with z < 0.7, 3 have emission-line ratios indicative of active galactic nuclei with z < 0.7, and 4 objects with z > 1 are QSOs, 3 of which are not previously cataloged. We compare our sample to a much larger sample of ~50,000 matched GALEX/SDSS galaxies with SDSS spectroscopy; while our survey is shallow, the optical counterparts to our sources reach ~3 mag fainter in SDSS r than the SDSS spectroscopic sample. We use emission-line diagnostics for the galaxies to determine that the sample contains mostly star-forming galaxies. The galaxies in the sample populate the blue sequence in the NUV − r versus M_r color-magnitude diagram. The derived stellar masses of the galaxies range from 10⁸ to 10¹¹M_☉, and derived SFRs are between 10⁻¹ and 10²M_☉ yr⁻¹. Our sample has SFRs, luminosities, and velocity dispersions that are similar to the samples of faint compact blue galaxies studied previously in the same redshift range by Koo and collaborators, Guzmán and collaborators, and Phillips and collaborators. However, our sample is ~2 mag fainter in surface brightness than the compact blue galaxies. We find that the star formation histories for a majority of the galaxies are consistent with a recent starburst within the last 100 Myr.

We investigate the production of nitrogen in star-forming galaxies with ultraviolet (UV) radiation detected by the Galaxy Evolution Explorer Satellite (GALEX). We use a sample of 8745 GALEX emission-line galaxies matched to the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) spectroscopic sample. We derive both gas-phase oxygen and nitrogen abundances for the sample and apply stellar population synthesis models to derive stellar masses and star formation histories of the galaxies. We compare oxygen abundances derived using three different diagnostics. We derive the specific star formation rates of the galaxies by modeling the seven-band GALEX+SDSS photometry. We find that galaxies that have log (SFR/M_*) ≳ − 10.0 typically have values of log (N/O) ∼ 0.05 dex less than galaxies with log (SFR/M_*) ≲ − 10.0 and similar oxygen abundances.

We present the first measurements of the angular correlation function of galaxies selected in the far (1530 Å) and near (2310 Å) ultraviolet from the GALEX survey fields overlapping SDSS DR5 in low Galactic extinction regions. The area used covers 120 deg² (GALEX Medium Imaging Survey) down to magnitude AB = 22, yielding a total of 100,000 galaxies. The mean correlation length is ~3.7 ± 0.6 Mpc, and no significant trend is seen for this value as a function of the limiting apparent magnitude or between the GALEX bands. This estimate is close to that found from samples of blue galaxies in the local universe selected in the visible and similar to that derived at z≃ 3 for LBGs with similar rest frame selection criteria. This result supports models that predict antibiasing of star-forming galaxies at low redshift and brings an additional clue to the downsizing of star formation at z < 1.

We analyze the clustering properties of ultraviolet-selected galaxies by using GALEX-SDSS data at z < 0.6 and CFHTLS deep u^' imaging at z ∼ 1. These data sets provide a unique basis at z ⩽ 1 which can be directly compared with high-redshift samples built with similar selection criteria. We discuss the dependence of the correlation function parameters (r₀ and δ) on the ultraviolet luminosity, as well as the linear bias evolution. We find that the bias parameter shows a gradual decline from high (b₈≳ 2) to low redshift (b₈≃ 0.79_−0.08^+0.1). When accounting for the fraction of the star formation activity enclosed in the different samples, our results suggest that the bulk of star formation migrated from high-mass dark matter halos at z > 2 (10¹²M_☉ ⩽ M_min ⩽ 10¹³M_☉, located in high-density regions) to less massive halos at low redshift (M_min ⩽ 10¹²M_☉, located in low-density regions). This result extends the "downsizing" picture (shift of the star formation activity from high stellar mass systems at high z to low stellar mass at low z) to the dark matter distribution.

We use GALEX near-UV (NUV) photometry of a sample of early-type galaxies selected in the SDSS (Sloan Digital Sky Survey) to study the UV color-magnitude relation (CMR). NUV − r color is an excellent tracer of even small amounts (~1% mass fraction) of recent (≲1 Gyr) star formation, and so the NUV − r CMR allows us to study the effect of environment on the recent star formation history. We analyze a volume-limited sample of 839 visually inspected early-type galaxies in the redshift range 0.05 < z < 0.10 brighter than M_r of –21.5 with any possible emission-line or radio-selected active galactic nuclei (AGNs) removed to avoid contamination. We find that contamination by AGN candidates and late-type interlopers highly bias any study of recent star formation in early-type galaxies and that, after removing those, our lower limit to the fraction of massive early-type galaxies showing signs of recent star formation is roughly 30% ± 3% . This suggests that residual star formation is common even among the present day early-type galaxy population. We find that the fraction of UV-bright early-type galaxies is 25% higher in low-density environments. However, the density effect is clear only in the lowest density bin. The blue galaxy fraction for the subsample of the brightest early-type galaxies, however, shows a very strong density dependence, in the sense that the blue galaxy fraction is lower in a higher density region.

We have initiated a search for extended ultraviolet disk (XUV-disk) galaxies in the local universe. Here we compare GALEX UV and visible-NIR images of 189 nearby (D < 40 Mpc) S0-Sm galaxies included in the GALEX Atlas of Nearby Galaxies and present the first catalog of XUV-disk galaxies. We find that XUV-disk galaxies are surprisingly common but have varied relative (UV/optical) extent and morphology. Type 1 objects (≳20% incidence) have structured, UV-bright/optically faint emission features in the outer disk, beyond the traditional star formation threshold. Type 2 XUV-disk galaxies (~10% incidence) exhibit an exceptionally large, UV-bright/optically low surface brightness (LSB) zone having blue UV–K_s outside the effective extent of the inner, older stellar population, but not reaching extreme galactocentric distance. If the activity occurring in XUV-disks is episodic, a higher fraction of present-day spirals could be influenced by such outer disk star formation. Type 1 disks are associated with spirals of all types, whereas Type 2 XUV-disks are predominantly found in late-type spirals. Type 2 XUV-disks are forming stars quickly enough to double their (currently low) stellar mass in the next Gyr (assuming a constant star formation rate). XUV-disk galaxies of both types are systematically more gas-rich than the general galaxy population. Minor external perturbation may stimulate XUV-disk incidence, at least for Type 1 objects. XUV-disks are the most actively evolving galaxies growing via inside-out disk formation in the current epoch, and may constitute a segment of the galaxy population experiencing significant, continued gas accretion from the intergalactic medium or neighboring objects.

We present images of NGC 7331 obtained with GALEX and Spitzer, tracing UV and IR signatures of star formation. NGC 7331's morphology at 8-850 μm is dominated by a central dust ring. This structure is a vigorous site of star formation (hosting one-third of the present activity) but remains inconspicuous in our GALEX UV imagery. Radial profile analysis and photometry for discrete UV- and UV+IR-selected substructures indicate a decline in UV extinction with increasing galactocentric distance, although highly attenuated star-forming regions can be found throughout the disk. UV-optical surface brightness profiles suggest a recent birthrate parameter (b₈) that is highest in the outer part of the disk, even though the local star formation intensity peaks in the ring. Bolometric luminosity and UV attenuation are correlated in substructures on 0.4 kpc scales, with a relationship similar to that established for starburst galaxies. The distribution of substructures in L(IR)/L(FUV), L_λ(FUV)/L_λ(NUV) space suggests that the majority of the disk is best characterized by Milky Way-type dust, with the exception of sources in the star-forming ring. As found by Calzetti et al. in M51, the observed 8 and 24 μm luminosity for substructures in NGC 7331 are correlated, showing a decline in L_ν(8 μm)/L_ν(24 μm) with increasing luminosity. We demonstrate the dependence of L_ν(8 μm)/L_ν(24 μm) on the local extinction-corrected Hα surface brightness (hence current Σ_SFR). A power law of slope 1.64 (1.87) accurately describes the Schmidt-law relation versus Σ_H2 (Σ_gas) for molecular-dominated environments. The same locations show no correlation between Σ_SFR and Σ_{H I} . For atomic-dominated regions above an apparent local star formation threshold, we found a trend for increasing Σ_SFR at higher Σ_{H I} , although the Schmidt-law correlation with molecular-only surface density persists in areas dominated by atomic gas.

We use GALEX/optical photometry to construct color-color relationships for early-type galaxies sorted by morphological type. We have matched objects in the GALEX GR1 public release and the first IR1.1 internal release, with the RC3 early-type galaxies having a morphological type -5.5 ⩽ T < − 1.5, with mean error on T < 1.5 and mean error on (B − V)_T < 0.05. After visual inspection of each match, we are left with 130 galaxies with reliable GALEX pipeline photometry in the far-UV and near-UV bands. This sample is divided into ellipticals (-5.5 ⩽ T < − 3.5) and lenticulars (-3.5 ⩽ T < − 1.5). After correction for Galactic extinction, the color-color diagrams FUV − NUV versus (B − V)_Tc are plotted for the two subsamples. We find a tight anticorrelation between the FUV − NUV and (B − V)_Tc colors for ellipticals, with the UV color getting bluer when the (B − V)_Tc gets redder. This relationship very likely is an extension of the color-metallicity relationship in the GALEX NUV band. We suspect that the main source of the correlation is metal line blanketing in the NUV band. The FUV − NUV versus B − V correlation has larger scatter for lenticular galaxies; we speculate that this reflects the presence of low-level star formation. If the latter objects (i.e., those that are blue both in FUV − NUV and in B − V) are interpreted as harboring recent star formation activity, this would be the case for a few percent (~4%) of ellipticals and ~15% of lenticulars; this would mean about 10% of early-type galaxies have residual star formation in our full sample of 130 early-type galaxies. We also plot FUV − NUV versus the Mg₂ index and central velocity dispersion. We find a tight anticorrelation between FUV − NUV and the Mg₂ index; we suspect that this reflects blanketing in the NUV band being correlated with overall metallicity. We find a marginal anticorrelation of FUV − V_T with Mg₂ for elliptical galaxies.

We present the GALEX UV photometry of the elliptical galaxies in Abell clusters at moderate redshifts (z < 0.2) for the study of the look-back time evolution of the UV upturn phenomenon. The brightest elliptical galaxies (M_r≲ − 22) in 12 remote clusters are compared with the nearby giant elliptical galaxies of comparable optical luminosity in the Fornax and Virgo clusters. The sample galaxies presented here appear to be quiescent without signs of massive star formation or strong nuclear activity and show smooth, extended profiles in their UV images, indicating that the far-UV (FUV) light is mostly produced by hot stars in the underlying old stellar population. Compared to their counterparts in nearby clusters, the FUV flux of cluster giant elliptical galaxies at moderate redshifts fades rapidly with ~2 Gyr of look-back time, and the observed pace in FUV − V color evolution agrees reasonably well with the prediction from the population synthesis models where the dominant FUV source is hot horizontal-branch stars and their progeny. A similar amount of color spread (~1 mag) in FUV − V exists among the brightest cluster elliptical galaxies at z ∼ 0.1, as observed among the nearby giant elliptical galaxies of comparable optical luminosity.

We have studied ~2100 early-type galaxies in the SDSS DR3 which have been detected by the GALEX Medium Imaging Survey (MIS), in the redshift range 0 < z < 0.11. Combining GALEX UV photometry with corollary optical data from the SDSS, we find that, at a 95% confidence level, at least ~30% of galaxies in this sample have UV to optical colors consistent with some recent star formation within the last Gyr. In particular, galaxies with an NUV − r color less than 5.5 are very likely to have experienced such recent star formation, taking into account the possibility of a contribution to NUV flux from the UV upturn phenomenon. We find quantitative agreement between the observations and the predictions of a semianalytical ΛCDM hierarchical merger model and deduce that early-type galaxies in the redshift range 0 < z < 0.11 have ~1%-3% of their stellar mass in stars less than 1 Gyr old. The average age of this recently formed population is ~300-500 Myr. We also find that "monolithically" evolving galaxies, where recent star formation can be driven solely by recycled gas from stellar mass loss, cannot exhibit the blue colors (NUV − r < 5.5) seen in a significant fraction (~30%) of our observed sample.

We present ultraviolet (UV) photometry of M31 globular clusters (GCs) found in 23 Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) images covering the entirety of M31. We detect 485 and 273 GCs (and GC candidates) in the near-ultraviolet (NUV) and far-ultraviolet (FUV), respectively. The UV properties of GCs have been analyzed using various combinations of UV–optical and optical–optical colors. Comparing M31 data with those of Galactic GCs in the UV with the aid of population models, we find that the age ranges of old GCs in M31 and the Galactic halo are similar. Three metal-rich ([Fe/H] > − 1) GCs in M31 produce significant FUV flux making their FUV–V colors unusually blue for their metallicities. These are thought to be analogs of the two peculiar Galactic GCs, NGC 6388 and NGC 6441, with extended blue HB stars. Based on the models incorporating helium enriched subpopulations in addition to the majority of the population that have a normal helium abundance, we suggest that even small fraction of super-helium-rich subpopulations in GCs can reproduce the observed UV bright metal-rich GCs. Young clusters in M31 show distinct UV and optical properties from GCs in Milky Way. Population models indicate that their typical age is less than ~2 Gyr and is consistent with the age derived from the most recent high-quality spectroscopic observations. A large fraction of young GCs have the kinematics of the thin, rapidly rotating disk component. Most GCs with bulge kinematics show old ages. The existence of young GCs on the outskirts of M31 disk suggests the occurrence of a significant recent star formation in the thin-disk of M31. We detect 12 (10) intermediate-age GC candidates in NUV (FUV) identified by previous spectroscopic observations. On the basis of comparing our UV photometry to population models, we suggest that some of spectroscopically identified intermediate-age GCs may not be truly intermediate in age, but rather older GCs that possess developed HB stars which contribute to enhanced UV flux as well as Balmer lines.

We use the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) Medium and All-Sky Imaging Survey (MIS and AIS) data from the first public data release (GR1), matched to the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) DR3 catalog, to perform source classification. The GALEX surveys provide photometry in far- and near-UV bands and the SDSS in five optical bands (u, g, r, i, z). The GR1/DR3 overlapping areas are 363 (86) deg² for the GALEX AIS (MIS), for sources within the 0.5° central area of the GALEX fields. Our sample covers mostly |b| > 30° Galactic latitudes. We present statistical properties of the GALEX-SDSS matched sources catalog, containing >2 × 10⁶ objects detected in at least one UV band. We classify the matched sources by comparing the seven-band photometry to model colors constructed for different classes of astrophysical objects. For sources with photometric errors <0.3 mag, the corresponding typical AB-magnitude limits are m_FUV ∼ 21.5, m_NUV ∼ 22.5 for AIS, and m_FUV ∼ 24, m_NUV ∼ 24.5 for MIS. At AIS depth, the number of Galactic and extragalactic objects are comparable, but the latter predominate in the MIS. On the basis of our stellar models, we estimate the GALEX surveys detect hot white dwarfs throughout the Milky Way halo (down to a radius of 0.04 R_☉ at MIS depth), providing an unprecedented improvement in the Galactic WD census. Their observed surface density is consistent with Milky Way model predictions. We also select low-redshift QSO candidates, extending the known QSO samples to lower magnitudes, and providing z ≈ 1 candidates for detailed z ≈ 1 follow-up investigations. SDSS optical spectra available for a large subsample confirm the classification for the photometrically selected candidates with 97% purity for single hot stars, ≈45% (AIS) or 31% (MIS) for binaries containing a hot star and a cooler companion, and about 85% for QSOs.

We present the preliminary results from implementing a new software tool that enables inspection of time-tagged photon data for the astronomical sources contained within individual GALEX ultraviolet (UV) images of the sky. We have inspected the photon data contained within 1802 GALEX images to reveal rapid, short-term (≲500 s) UV source variability in the form of stellar "flares." The mean associated change in near-UV (NUV) magnitude due to this flaring activity is 2.7 ± 0.3 mag. A list of 49 new UV variable star candidates is presented, together with their associated Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) photometric magnitudes. From these data we can associate the main source of these UV flare events with magnetic activity on M dwarf stars. Photometric parallaxes have been determined for 32 of these sources, placing them at distances ranging from approximately 25 to 1000 pc. The average UV flare energy for these flare events is 2.5 × 10³⁰ ergs, which is of a similar energy to that of U-band, X-ray, and EUV flares observed on many local M dwarf stars. We have found that stars of classes M0 to M5 flare with energies spanning a far larger range and with an energy approximately 5 times greater than those of later (M6 to M8) spectral type.

We describe the calibration status and data products pertaining to the GR2 and GR3 data releases of the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX). These releases have identical pipeline calibrations that are significantly improved over the GR1 data release. GALEX continues to survey the sky in the far-ultraviolet (FUV, ~154 nm) and near-ultraviolet (NUV, ~232 nm) bands, providing simultaneous imaging with a pair of photon-counting, microchannel plate, delay line readout detectors. These 1.25° field of view detectors are well suited to ultraviolet observations because of their excellent red rejection and negligible background. A dithered mode of observing and photon list output pose complex requirements on the data processing pipeline, entangling detector calibrations, and aspect reconstruction algorithms. Recent improvements have achieved photometric repeatability of 0.05 and 0.03 m_AB in the FUV and NUV, respectively. We have detected a long-term drift of order 1% FUV and 6% NUV over the mission. Astrometric precision is of order 0.5'' rms in both bands. In this paper we provide the GALEX user with a broad overview of the calibration issues likely to be confronted in the current release. Improvements are likely as the GALEX mission continues into an extended phase with a healthy instrument, no consumables, and increased opportunities for guest investigations.

For a sample of 43 nearby, late-type galaxies, we have investigated the radial variation of both the current star formation rate and the dust-induced UV light attenuation. To do this we have cross-correlated IRAS images and GALEX observations for each of these galaxies and compiled observations of the gas (CO and H I) and metal-abundance gradients found in the literature. We find that attenuation correlates with metallicity. We then use the UV profiles, corrected for attenuation, to study several variants of the Schmidt law and conclude that our results are compatible with a simple law similar to the one of Kennicutt extending smoothly to lower surface densities, but with considerable scatter. We do not detect an abrupt break in the UV light at the threshold radius derived from Hα data (at which the Hα profile shows a break and beyond which only a few H II regions are usually found). We interpret the Hα sudden break not as a change in the star formation regime (as often suggested), but as the vanishingly small number of ionizing stars corresponding to low levels of star formation.