An Empirically Based Calculation of the Extragalactic Infrared Background

Abstract

Using the excellent observed correlations among various infrared wavebands with 12 and 60 micron luminosities, we calculate the 2-300 micron spectra of galaxies as a function of luminosity. We then use 12 micron and 60 micron galaxy luminosity functions derived from IRAS data, together with recent data on the redshift evolution of galaxy emissivity, to derive a new, empirically based IR background spectrum from stellar and dust emission in galaxies. Our best estimate for the IR background is of order 2-3 nW/m^2/sr with a peak around 200 microns reaching 6-8 nW/m^2/sr. Our empirically derived background spectrum is fairly flat in the mid-IR, as opposed to spectra based on modeling with discrete temperatures which exhibit a "valley" in the mid-IR. We also derive a conservative lower limit to the IR background which is more than a factor of 2 lower than our derived flux.