Spectroscopy of luminous infrared galaxies at 2 microns .2. Data for galaxies with 11.2 less than or similar to log (L(IR)/L(circle dot)less than or similar to 11.9

Spectra across the infrared K band are presented for a flux-limited sample of powerful, bright, ''infrared'' galaxies. The sample in the present paper, consisting of 43 systems (47 individual galaxies) with infrared luminosities L(IR) in the range 11.2 less than or similar to log (L(IR)/L.) less than or similar to 11.9, was chosen from the IRAS Bright Galaxy Catalogue. The spectra have resolving powers of similar to 340-680. When combined with the 13 spectra we have already published for the ''ultraluminous'' galaxies, those with log (L(IR)/L(.)) greater than or similar to 12.0, this constitutes the largest database of high-quality infrared spectra yet assembled for a well-defined sample of galaxies. The spectra are, in general, dominated by emission lines, which are due to the Br gamma hydrogen recombination line and to several quadrupole transitions of excited molecular hydrogen. Emission from He I also appears frequently. Deep absorption bands from CO are present in virtually all the spectra, as are a variety of weaker stellar absorption features. The data are analyzed in a companion paper (Paper III).