Characteristics of UGC galaxies detected by IRAS
Infrared Astronomy Satellite (IRAS) detection rates at 60 microns were determined for the Uppsala General Catalog of Galaxies (Nilson 1973; the UCG). Late-type spirals, characterized by a normal IR/B ratio of approximately 0.6, are detected to a velocity of approximately 6000 km/s for L sub B = L sub *. Contrary to the situation for IRAS-selected galaxy samples, little evidence was found for a correlation between IR/B and 60/100 microns in this large optically-selected sample. Thus a significant fraction of the IRAS-measured far-infrared flux from normal spirals must originate in the diffuse interstellar medium, heated by the interstellar radiation field. Support was not found for Burstein and Lebofsky's (1986) conclusion that spiral disks are optically thick in the far-infrared.