Correlation between environment and gas metallicity for star-forming galaxies in the main galaxy sample of SDSS DR7

Abstract

Using two volume-limited samples of the Main Galaxy sample of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 7 with luminosities of -20.5 ≤ Mr ≤ -18.5 and -22.5 ≤ Mr ≤ -20.5, respectively, I explore the correlation between environment and gas metallicity for star-forming galaxies. Overall, results indicate that galaxies in the lowest density regime preferentially have lower gas metallicity than galaxies in the densest regimes, and that the correlation between environment and gas metallicity is fundamental. © 2011. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.