Mid-infrared identifications of scuba galaxies in the CUDSS 14 hour field with the Spitzer space telescope

We identify 17 possible 8.0 mu m selected counterparts to the submillimeter galaxies in the CUDSS 14 hour field, derived from deep imaging carried out with the IRAC and MIPS instruments aboard the Spitzer Space Telescope. Ten of the 17 counterparts are not the same as those previously identified at shorter wavelengths. We argue that 8.0 mu m selection offers a better means for identifying counterparts to submillimeter galaxies than near-infrared or optical selection. Based on the panchromatic spectral energy distributions (SEDs), most counterparts appear to be powered by ongoing star formation. Power-law fits to the SEDs suggest that five objects in the 8.0 mu m selected counterpart sample harbor dominant active galactic nuclei (AGNs; a sixth object is identified as a possible AGN). The 3.6-8.0 mu m colors of the infrared-selected counterparts are significantly redder than the general IRAC galaxy population in the CUDSS 14 hour field.