Reproducing the UVJ Color Distribution of Star-forming Galaxies at 0.5 <
  z < 2.5 with a Geometric Model of Dust Attenuation
  We analyze the distribution of rest-frame U-V and V-J colors for star-forming
galaxies at 0.5 < z < 2.5. Using stellar population synthesis, stochastic star
formation histories, and a simple prescription for the dust attenuation that
accounts for the shape and inclination of galaxies, we construct a model for
the distribution of galaxy colors. With only two free parameters, this model is
able to reproduce the observed galaxy colors as a function of redshift and
stellar mass remarkably well. Our analysis suggests that the wide range of dust
attenuation values measured for star-forming galaxies at a given redshift and
stellar mass is almost entirely due to the effect of inclination; if all
galaxies were observed edge-on, they would show very similar dust attenuation.
This result has important implications for the interpretation of dust
attenuation measurements, the treatment of UV and IR luminosity, and the
comparison between numerical simulations and observations.
