Dust and gas physics of the GOALS sample

We observe a correlation between the strength of the starburst (represented by IR8 = L_IR_/L_8 {mu}m_) and the PAH fraction at 8 {mu}m but no obvious link between IR8 and the 7.7 to 11.3 PAH ratio, suggesting that the fractional photodissociation region (PDR) emission, and not the overall grain properties, is associated with the rise in IR8 for galaxies off the starburst main sequence. We detect crystalline silicate features in ~6% of the sample but only in the most obscure sources (s_9.7 {mu}m_< -1.24).

Ice absorption features are observed in ~11% (56%) of GOALS LIRGs (ULIRGs) in sources with a range of silicate depths. Most GOALS LIRGs have L(H_2_)/L(PAH) ratios elevated above those observed for normal star-forming galaxies and exhibit a trend for increasing L(H_2_)/L(PAH) ratio with increasing L(H_2_). While star formation appears to be the dominant process responsible for exciting the H_2_ in most of the GOALS galaxies, a subset of LIRGs (~10%) shows excess H_2_emission that is inconsistent with PDR models and may be excited by shocks or AGN-induced outflows.