The properties of infrared galaxies in the local universe

The 60 µm selected IRAS Bright Galaxy Sample is used as a starting point to derive additional complete flux-limited samples of extragalactic objects at 12, 25, and 100 µm. With these complete samples the luminosity functions at all IRAS wavelengths are derived for the local Universe. These luminosity functions are used to determine the infrared emission of the local Universe. The maximum in the energy output of galaxies occurs at 100 µm. The infrared emission of galaxies at 12 and 25 µm represents ~30% of the total infrared luminosity in the local Universe. The mean infrared colors of infrared selected galaxies vary systematically with infrared luminosity; the ratio S^v(60 µm)/S_v( 100 µm) increases and S_v(12 µm)/Sv(25 µm) decreases with increasing infrared luminosity