Detection of Anisotropy in the Cosmic Blackbody Radiation
Abstract
We have detected anisotropy in the cosmic blackbody radiation with a 33-GHz (0.9 cm) twin-antenna Dicke radiometer flown to an altitude of 20 km aboard a U-2 aircraft. In data distributed over two-thirds of the northern hemisphere, we observe an anisotropy which is well fitted by a first-order spherical harmonic with an amplitude of (3.5 +/- 0.6) × 10-3 °K, and direction [11.0 +/- 0.6 h right ascension (R.A.) and 6° +/- 10° declination (dec)]. This observation is readily interpreted as due to motion of the earth relative to the radiation with a velocity of 390 +/- 60 km/sec.
- Publication:
-
Physical Review Letters
- Pub Date:
- October 1977
- DOI:
- 10.1103/PhysRevLett.39.898
- Bibcode:
- 1977PhRvL..39..898S
- Keywords:
-
- Anisotropy;
- Black Body Radiation;
- Extraterrestrial Radio Waves;
- Millimeter Waves;
- Relativity;
- Airborne Equipment;
- Cosmic Rays;
- Cosmology;
- Dicke Radiometers;
- Galactic Radiation;
- Microwave Emission;
- Microwave Radiometers;
- Northern Hemisphere;
- Radiation Measurement;
- Spherical Harmonics;
- U-2 Aircraft;
- Space Radiation