STARBURST GALAXIES .2. IMAGING AND SPECTROSCOPY OF A RADIO-SELECTED SAMPLE

We present J-, H-, and K-band images and low-resolution K-band spectra of the 20 most luminous starburst galaxies from the survey of Condon, Frayer, & Broderick. Optical rotation curves are also shown for 10 of these galaxies. Near-infrared colors, optical depths, CO indices, and dynamical masses are calculated. The near-infrared colors of the star burst nuclei are significantly redder than those observed in ''normal' ' galaxies. Together, the Br gamma and radio fluxes available for five of the galaxies imply that the starbursts are heavily obscured; an av erage extinction of A(V) similar to 25 is derived. Strong CO absorptio n features indicate that late-type evolved stars are present in many o f the starbursts. The average dynamical mass of the starburst region i s found to be (1.0 +/- 0.4) x 10(9) M..