NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Back to Results
Measurement of the cosmic microwave background spectrum by the COBE FIRAS instrumentThe cosmic microwave background radiation (CMBR) has a blackbody spectrum within 3.4 x 10(exp -8) ergs/sq cm/s/sr cm over the frequency range from 2 to 20/cm (5-0.5 mm). These measurements, derived from the Far-Infrared Absolute Spectrophotomer (FIRAS) instrument on the Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) satellite, imply stringent limits on energy release in the early universe after t approximately 1 year and redshift z approximately 3 x 10(exp 6). The deviations are less than 0.30% of the peak brightness, with an rms value of 0.01%, and the dimensionless cosmological distortion parameters are limited to the absolute value of y is less than 2.5 x 10(exp -5) and the absolute value of mu is less than 3.3 x 10(exp -4) (95% confidence level). The temperature of the CMBR is 2.726 +/- 0.010 K (95% confidence level systematic).
Document ID
19950040015
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Mather, J. C.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Cheng, E. S.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Cottingham, D. A.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Eplee, R. E., Jr.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Fixsen, D. J.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Hewagama, T.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Isaacman, R. B.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Jensen, K. A.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Meyer, S. S.
(MIT, Cambridge, MA United States)
Noerdlinger, P. D.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
August 16, 2013
Publication Date
January 10, 1994
Publication Information
Publication: The Astrophysical Journal, Part 1
Volume: 420
Issue: 2
ISSN: 0004-637X
Subject Category
Astrophysics
Accession Number
95A71614
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

Available Downloads

There are no available downloads for this record.
No Preview Available