Understanding infrared (IR) luminosity is fundamental to understanding the cosmic star formation history and AGN evolution, since their most intense stages are often obscured by dust. Japanese infrared satellite, AKARI, provided unique data sets to probe this both at low and high redshifts. The AKARI performed an all sky survey in 6 IR bands (9, 18, 65, 90, 140, and 160μm ) with 3-10 times better sensitivity than IRAS, covering the crucial far-IR wavelengths across the peak of the dust emission. Combined with a better spatial resolution, AKARI can measure the total infrared luminosity ( LTIR) of individual galaxies much more precisely, and thus, the total infrared luminosity density of the local Universe. In the AKARI NEP deep field, we construct restframe 8μm, 12μm , and total infrared (TIR) luminosity functions (LFs) at 0.15 < z < 2.2 using 4,128 infrared sources. A continuous filter coverage in the mid-IR wavelength (2.4, 3.2, 4.1, 7, 9, 11, 15, 18, and 24μm ) by the AKARI satellite allows us to estimate restframe 8μm and 12μm luminosities without using a large extrapolation based on a SED fit, which was the largest uncertainty in previous work. By combining these two results, we reveal dust-hidden cosmic star formation history and AGN evolution from z = 0 to z = 2.2, all probed by the AKARI satellite.

Starting from an infrared selected GALEX-SDSS-2MASS-AKARI sample of local star forming galaxies, we built mock samples from redshift 0 to 2.5 to investigate star formation rate (SFR) calibrations using WISE luminosities. We find W3 and W4 band fluxes can indicate SFRs with small scatters when the rest-frame wavelengths are longer than ∼6μm . When the wavelength becomes shorter, the observed luminosities are more tightly connected to the emission of old stellar populations than dust, therefore lose the reliability to trace the SFR. The current SFR calibrations are consistent with previous studies.

We investigate the role of galaxy environment in the evolution of individual galaxies through the AKARI observations of the merging galaxy cluster A2255. MIR diagnostics using N3-S11 colors are adopted to select star-forming galaxies and galaxies in transition between star-forming galaxies and quiescent galaxies. We do not find particular enhancement of star formation rates as a function of galaxy environment, reflected in cluster-centric distance and local surface density of galaxies. Instead, the locations of intermediate MIR-excess galaxies (-1.2 < N3 - S11 < 0.2) show that star-forming galaxies are transformed into passive galaxies in the substructures of A2255, where the local surface density of galaxies is relatively high.

The aim of this research is to reveal the spatial distribution of the star formation activity of nearby galaxies by comparing CO molecular emission lines with the large area observation in far-infrared (FIR) lines. We report the imaging observations of NGC 253 by FIR forbidden lines via FIS-FTS and CO molecular lines from low to high excitation levels with ASTE, which are good tracers of star forming regions or photo-dissociation regions, especially spiral galaxies, in order to derive the information of the physical conditions of the ambient interstellar radiation fields. The combination of spatially resolved FIR and sub-mm data leads to the star formation efficiency within galaxy. The ratio between the FIR luminosity and molecular gas mass, LFIR/MH2 , is expected to be proportional to the number of stars formed in the galaxy per unit molecular gas mass and time. Moreover the FIR line ux shows current star formation activity directly. Furthermore these can be systematic and statistical data for star formation history and evolution of spiral galaxies.

Nearby spiral galaxies M101 and M81 are considered to have undergone a galaxy-galaxy interaction. M101 has experienced HI gas infall due to the interaction. With AKARI far-infrared (IR) photometric observations, we found regions with enhanced star forming activity, which are spatially close to regions affected by the interaction. In addition, the relation between the star formation rate (SFR) and the gas content for such regions shows a significant difference from typical spiral arm regions. We discuss possible explanations for star formation processes on a kiloparsec scale and the association with interaction-triggered star formation. We also observed the compact group of galaxies Stephan's Quintet (SQ) with the AKARI Far-infrared Surveyor (FIS). The SQ shows diffuse intergalactic medium (IGM) due to multiple collisions between the member galaxies and the IGM. The intruder galaxy NGC 7318b is currently colliding with the IGM and causes a large-scale shock. The 160 micron image clearly shows the structure along the shock ridge as seen in warm molecular hydrogen line emission and X-ray emission. The far-IR emission from the shocked region comes from the luminous [CII] 158 μm line and cold dust (~ 20 K) that coexist with molecular hydrogen gas. Survival of dust grains is indispensable to form molecular hydrogen gas within the collision age (~ 5 Myr). At the stage of the dusty IGM environment, [CII] and H2 lines rather than X-ray emission are powerful cooling channels to release the collision energy.

Following the first Public Release of the AKARI Point Source catalogues, we have worked on the production of a new far-infrared All-Sky Diffuse mapping product. In this paper we report first results from the All Sky diffuse maps that will shortly be released to the community, based on analysis of data from the Far Infrared Surveyor ( 65 μm − 160 μm ) instrument. These data are likely to have a strong impact on studies of extended structures, and the diffuse ISM.

We present Spitzer IRS spectroscopy of CO2 ice toward 19 young stellar objects (YSOs) with luminosity lower than 1L⊙ . Pure CO2 ice forms only at elevated temperatures, T > 20 K, and thus at higher luminosities. Current internal luminosities of YSOs with L < 1L⊙ do not provide such conditions out to radii of typical envelopes. Significant amounts of pure CO2 ice would signify a higher past luminosity. We analyze 15.2 μm CO2 ice bending mode absorption lines in comparison to the laboratory data. We decompose pure CO2 ice from 12 out of 19 young low luminosity sources. The presence of the pure CO2 ice component indicates high dust temperature and hence high luminosity in the past. The sum of all the ice components (total CO2 ice amount) can be explained by a long period of low luminosity stage between episodic accretion bursts as predicted in an episodic accretion scenario. Chemical modeling shows that the episodic accretion scenario explains the observed total CO2 ice amount best.