2008ApJ...675.1156M

We investigate the environment of infrared-luminous galaxies [L_IR(8-1000 µm)>10¹¹ L_☉]. We focus on the redshift range 0.7≤z≤1, where these galaxies dominate the star formation activity and play a significant role in galaxy evolution. We employ MIPS 24 µm data to identify infrared galaxies in the Extended Groth Strip (EGS). We use a local density indicator to probe the environment on a few Mpc scales and a group member catalog, both of which make use of the DEEP2 spectroscopic redshift catalog, to quantify the environment of these galaxies. We find that the local environment of LIRGs and ULIRGs is intermediate between that of blue and red galaxies. LIRGs and ULIRGs avoid underdense environments and inhabit local environments that are more dense on average than those of other DEEP2 galaxies at similar redshifts. However, when the comparison sample of the non-IR DEEP2 galaxies is restricted to have the same range of stellar mass, color, or luminosity as the IR galaxies, there is no longer any significant difference in environment: the IR galaxies follow the same trends in the color-environment and luminosity-environment relations observed at z∼1. We also find that about 30% of the LIRGs and ULIRGs belong to groups, associated with a minimum dark matter halo of 6x10¹² M_☉ h^–1. The group members constitute 20% of the sources responsible for the IR star formation rate density and comoving energy density at z∼1.