In recent work (arXiv:1101.0002) we have suggested that the high-redshift (z
~ 2-4) bright submillimetre galaxy (SMG) population is heterogeneous, with
major mergers contributing both at early stages, where quiescently star-forming
discs are blended into one submm source (`galaxy-pair SMGs'), and late stages,
where mutual tidal torques drive gas inflows and cause strong starbursts. Here
we combine hydrodynamic simulations of major mergers with 3-D dust radiative
transfer calculations to determine observational diagnostics that can
distinguish between quiescently star-forming SMGs and starburst SMGs via
integrated data alone. We fit the far-IR SEDs of the simulated galaxies with
the optically thin single-temperature modified blackbody, the full form of the
single-temperature modified blackbody, and a power-law temperature-distribution
model. The effective dust temperature, T_dust, and power-law index of the dust
emissivity in the far-IR, \beta, derived can significantly depend on the
fitting form used, and the intrinsic \beta\ of the dust is not recovered.
However, for all forms used here, there is a T_dust above which almost all
simulated galaxies are starbursts, so a T_dust cut is very effective at
selecting starbursts. Simulated merger-induced starbursts also have higher
L_IR/M_gas and L_IR/L_FUV than quiescently star-forming galaxies and lie above
the star formation rate-stellar mass relation. These diagnostics can be used to
test our claim that the SMG population is heterogeneous and to observationally
determine what star formation mode dominates a given galaxy population. We
comment on applicability of these diagnostics to ULIRGs that would not be
selected as SMGs. These `hot-dust ULIRGs' are typically starburst galaxies
lower in mass than SMGs, but they can also simply be SMGs observed from a
different viewing angle.Comment: 21 pages, 11 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRAS. Minor
changes to text but otherwise identical to v
