The Ultraviolet–Infrared Color–Magnitude Relation of Star-forming Galaxies

In this note we identify and characterize the ultraviolet-infrared color-magnitude relation of star-forming galaxies. The ultraviolet to mid-infrared flux ratios of star-forming galaxies span over two orders of magnitude and show a clear dependence on absolute magnitude from M_W3 ~ -13 to M_W3 ~ -25, which may present problems for models of galaxy spectral energy distributions that have been largely verified on ~L* galaxies. The color-magnitude relation of star-forming galaxies illustrates the broadband spectral diversity of star-forming galaxies that results from established correlations between the physical properties and mass, including the mass-metallicity relation.