Characterizing the Mid-IR Extragalactic Sky with WISE and SDSS

Understand

The Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) has completed its all-sky survey at 3.4-22 micron.

• We merge the WISE data with optical SDSS data and provide a phenomenological characterization of mid-IR, extragalactic sources.
• WISE is most sensitive at 3.4micron(W1) and least at 22micron(W4).
• The W1 band probes massive early-type galaxies out to z\gtrsim1.