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A preliminary measurement of the cosmic microwave background spectrum by the Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) satelliteA preliminary spectrum is presented of the background radiation between 1 and 20/cm from regions near the north Galactic pole, as observed by the FIRAS instrument on the COBE satellite. The spectral resolution is 1/cm. The spectrum is well fitted by a blackbody with a temperature of 2.735 + or - 0.06 K, and the deviation from a blackbody is less than 1 percent of the peak intensity over the range 1-20/cm. These new data show no evidence for the submillimeter excess previously reported by Matsumoto et al. (1988) in the cosmic microwave background. Further analysis and additional data are expected to improve the sensitivity to deviations from a blackbody spectrum by an order of magnitude.
Document ID
19900047483
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)
Shafer, R. A.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Bennett, C. L.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Boggess, N. W.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Dwek, E.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Hauser, M. G.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Kelsall, T.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Moseley, S. H., Jr.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Silverberg, R. F.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
August 14, 2013
Publication Date
May 10, 1990
Publication Information
Publication: Astrophysical Journal, Part 2 - Letters
Volume: 354
ISSN: 0004-637X
Subject Category
Space Radiation
Accession Number
90A34538
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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