A data base for galaxy evolution modeling

This paper represents a collective effort to provide an extensive electronic data base useful for the interpretation of the spectra and evolution of galaxies. A broad variety of empirical and theoretical data is discussed here, and the data are made fully available in the AAS CD-ROM Series, Vol. 7. Several empirical stellar libraries are part of this data base. They cover the ultraviolet spectral range observed with IUE, optical data from different ground-based telescopes, and ground-based infrared data. Spectral type coverage depends on the wavelength, but is mostly complete for types O to M and luminosity classes V to I. A large metallicity range is covered as well. Theoretical libraries of selected spectral indices of cool stars and of stellar continuum fluxes in the temperature range 2000-50,000 K as well as Wolf-Rayet energy distributions are presented. Several libraries of star clusters and early-type galaxies have been selected for this data base. We discuss an extensive set of empirical spectral templates covering the wavelength region from 1200 to 9800 Angstrom, as well as narrow-band line indices in a large number of passbands. Bench-mark spectra of nearby galaxies for model tests are included as well. We compiled numerous evolutionary models and isochrones for stars of all mass ranges of interest, wide metallicity range, and for all evolutionary phases, including the pre-main-sequence phase. The majority of the models have been computed by the Geneva and Padova groups. Evolutionary synthesis models computed by several independent groups are made available. They can be applied to old and young systems, and are optimized with respect to different aspects of input physics. The model predictions include stellar (colors, magnitudes, absorption features) and nebular (emission-line fluxes) properties. Finally, we present models of ionized gas to be used for the interpretation of active galactic nuclei and young star-forming galaxies. The community is encouraged to make use of this electronic data base and to perform a critical comparison between the individual datasets.