Issue |
Astron. Astrophys. Suppl. Ser.
Volume 128, Number 2, March I 1998
|
|
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Page(s) | 377 - 387 | |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/aas:1998100 | |
Published online | 15 March 1998 |
Determination of the optimal set of frequency bands for the PLANCK CMBR satellite mission
1
Niels Bohr Institute for Astronomy, Physics and Geophysics, Astronomical Observatory, Juliane Maries Vej 30, DK–2100 København Ø, Denmark
2
Danish Space Research Institute, Juliane Maries Vej 30, DK–2100 København Ø, Denmark
Send offprint request to: M.J.D. Linden-Vørnle
Received:
2
August
1996
Accepted:
1
July
1997
The PLANCK satellite (previously known as COBRAS/SAMBA) is chosen to be
the next medium sized mission in ESAs Horizon 2000 programme. It
is intended to observe anisotropies in the
cosmic microwave background radiation (CMBR) with a sensitivity and
angular resolution which is far better than previous
CMBR experiments like NASAs COBE satellite mission.
In order to assess PLANCKs ability to retrieve the temperature
fluctuations in the presence of contaminating foreground sources and noise,
we have performed
model calculations based on a single-pixel approach and a non-linear least
squares spectral fitting technique.
We find that even worst-case foreground scenarios do not
prohibit a measurement accuracy of . This
implies that the above stated accuracy can be achieved over most of
the sky and not only in selected areas with low foreground contamination as
discussed by Brandt et al. (1994). We have applied the model calculations to different mission configurations
in order to determine the optimal combination of frequency bands. It is shown that only a large frequency coverage allows a
sufficiently accurate separation
of CMBR anisotropies and foreground signals. Also the Microwave Anisotropy
Probe (MAP) CMBR mission, selected as one of the NASA MIDEX missions,
is tested for its ability to overcome foreground contamination.
Key words: cosmic microwave background / ISM: general / space vehicles / methods: data analysis
© European Southern Observatory (ESO), 1998