Structure in the COBE differential microwave radiometer first-year maps

• Published in: The Astrophysical journal Vol. 396; no. 1, Se; pp. L1 - L5
• Main Authors: Smoot, G. F., Bennett, C. L., Kogut, A., Wright, E. L., Aymon, J., Boggess, N. W., Cheng, E. S., De Amici, G., Gulkis, S., Hauser, M. G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Legacy CDMS University of Chicago Press 01.09.1992
• Subjects: Astronomy; Background radiations; CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS; CORRELATIONS; COSMOLOGICAL MODELS; DATA ANALYSIS; Earth, ocean, space; ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION; ERRORS; Exact sciences and technology; GALAXIES; INFLATIONARY UNIVERSE; MATHEMATICAL MODELS; MATHEMATICS; MEASURING INSTRUMENTS; MEASURING METHODS; MICROWAVE RADIATION; MILKY WAY; RADIATION DETECTORS; RADIATIONS 661300 > Other Aspects of Physical Science > (1992-); RADIOMETERS; RELICT RADIATION; SATELLITES; Space Radiation; STATISTICS; Stellar systems. Galactic and extragalactic objects and systems. The universe; Unidentified sources and radiation outside the solar system; Data analysis; Observed data; Microwave radiometer; Gaussian distribution; Cosmology; Correlation function; Satellite observation; Data processing; Relict radiation; Background radiation
• ISSN: 0004-637X; 1538-4357
• DOI: 10.1086/186504

Results of the first year of data from the differential microwave radiometers on the Cosmic Background Explorer are presented. Statistically significant structure that is well described as scale-invariant fluctuations with a Gaussian distribution is shown. The rms sky variation, smoothed to a total 10-deg FWHM Gaussian, is 30 +/-5 micro-K for Galactic latitude greater than 20-deg data with the dipole anisotropy removed. The rms cosmic quadrupole amplitude is 13 +/-4 micro-K. The angular autocorrelation of the signal in each radiometer channel and cross-correlation between channels are consistent and give a primordial fluctuation power-law spectrum with index of 1.1 +/-0.5, and an rms-quadrupole-normalized amplitude of 16 +/-4 micro-K. These features are in accord with the Harrison-Zel'dovich spectrum predicted by models of inflationary cosmology.