A Detection of Bright Features in the Microwave Background

• Main Authors: Kowitt, M. S, Cheng, E. S, Cottingham, D. A, Fixsen, D. J, Inman, C. A, Meyer, S. S, Page, L. A, Puchalla, J. L, Ruhl, J. E, Silverberg, R. F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 25-04-1996
• Subjects: Physics - Astrophysics of Galaxies; Physics - Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics; Physics - Earth and Planetary Astrophysics; Physics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena; Physics - Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics; Physics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
• DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.astro-ph/9604155

We report the characterization of bright, compact features in the cosmic
microwave background radiation (CMBR) detected during the June 1992 and June
1994 balloon flights of the Medium Scale Anisotropy Measurement (MSAM1-92 and
MSAM1-94, respectively). Spectral flux densities are determined for each
feature at 5.7, 9.3, and 16.5 cm$^{-1}$. No viable counterparts for these
features were found in source catalogs at 5 GHz or at 100 $\mu$m. The measured
spectrum of each feature is consistent with a temperature fluctuation in the
CMBR. The existence of these features is consistent with adiabatic fluctuation
models of anisotropy in the CMBR.