Ultraviolet to infrared emission of z> 1 galaxies: Can we derive reliable star formation rates and stellar masses?

Received; accepted Aims. Our knowledge of the cosmic mass assembly relies on measurements of star formation rates (SFRs) and stellar masses (Mstar), of galaxies as a function of redshift. These parameters must be estimated in a consistent way with a good knowledge of systematics before studying their correlation and the variation of the specific star formation rate. Constraining these fundamental properties of galaxies across the Universe is of utmost importance if we want to understand galaxy formation and evolution. Methods. We seek to derive star formation rates and stellar masses in distant galaxies and to quantify the main uncertainties affecting their measurement. We explore the impact of the assumptions made in their derivation with standard calibrations or through a fitting process, as well as the impact of the available data, focusing on the role of infrared (IR) emission originating from dust. Results. We build a sample of galaxies with z> 1, all observed from the ultraviolet to the infrared in their rest frame. The data are fitted with the code CIGALE, which is also used to build and analyse a catalogue of mock galaxies. Models with different star formation histories are introduced: an exponentially decreasing or increasing star formation rate and a more complex one coupling