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Four-YearCOBE* DMR Cosmic Microwave Background Observations: Maps and Basic Results
C. L. Bennett,A. J. Banday,K. M. Górski,G. Hinshaw,P. Jackson,P. Keegstra,A. Kogut,G. F. Smoot,D. T. Wilkinson, andE. L. Wright
©1996. The AmericanAstronomical Society. All rights reserved. Printed inU.S.A.
The Astrophysical Journal,Volume 464,Number 1Citation C. L. Bennettet al 1996ApJ464 L1DOI 10.1086/310075
C. L. Bennett
AFFILIATIONS
Laboratory for Astronomy and Solar Physics, Code 685, NASA/GSFC, Greenbelt, MD 20771
A. J. Banday
AFFILIATIONS
Hughes STX Corporation, Laboratory for Astronomy and Solar Physics, Code 685, NASA/GSFC, Greenbelt, MD 20771
K. M. Górski
AFFILIATIONS
Hughes STX Corporation, Laboratory for Astronomy and Solar Physics, Code 685, NASA/GSFC, Greenbelt, MD 20771
G. Hinshaw
AFFILIATIONS
Hughes STX Corporation, Laboratory for Astronomy and Solar Physics, Code 685, NASA/GSFC, Greenbelt, MD 20771
P. Jackson
AFFILIATIONS
Hughes STX Corporation, Laboratory for Astronomy and Solar Physics, Code 685, NASA/GSFC, Greenbelt, MD 20771
P. Keegstra
AFFILIATIONS
Hughes STX Corporation, Laboratory for Astronomy and Solar Physics, Code 685, NASA/GSFC, Greenbelt, MD 20771
A. Kogut
AFFILIATIONS
Hughes STX Corporation, Laboratory for Astronomy and Solar Physics, Code 685, NASA/GSFC, Greenbelt, MD 20771
G. F. Smoot
AFFILIATIONS
Department of Physics, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, Space Sciences Laboratory, and Center for Particle Astrophysics, Building 50-351, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
D. T. Wilkinson
AFFILIATIONS
Physics Department, Jadwin Hall, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544-1001
E. L. Wright
AFFILIATIONS
UCLA Astronomy, P.O. Box 951562, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1562
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- Received1996 January 11
- Accepted1996 March 21
Abstract
In this Letter we present a summary of the spatial properties of the cosmic microwave background radiation based on the full 4 yr ofCOBE Differential Microwave Radiometer (DMR) observations, with additional details in a set of companion Letters. The anisotropy is consistent with a scale-invariant power-law model and Gaussian statistics. With full use of the multifrequency 4 yr DMR data, including our estimate of the effects of Galactic emission, we find a power-law spectral index ofn = 1.2 ± 0.3 and a quadrupole normalizationQrms-PS = 15.3−2.8+3.8 μK. Forn = 1 the best-fit normalization isQrms-PS|n=1 = 18 ± 1.6 μK. These values are consistent with both our previous 1 yr and 2 yr results. The results include use of the ℓ = 2 quadrupole term; exclusion of this term gives consistent results, but with larger uncertainties. The final DMR 4 yr sky maps, presented in this Letter, portray an accurate overall visual impression of the anisotropy since the signal-to-noise ratio is ~2 per 10° sky map patch. The improved signal-to-noise ratio of the 4 yr maps also allows for improvements in Galactic modeling and limits on non-Gaussian statistics.
Footnotes
- *
NASA/GSFC is responsible for the design, development, and operations of theCOBE, and for the development of the analysis software and the delivery of the mission data sets. Scientific guidance is provided by theCOBE Science Working Group.
