Three‐Year Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe ( WMAP ) Observations: Polarization Analysis

• DOI: 10.1086/513699
• Publication Date: 2007-05-31T19:12:58Z
• Authors: L. Page; G. Hinshaw; E. Komatsu; M. R. Nolta; D. N. Spergel; C. L. Bennett; C. Barnes; R. Bean; O. Dore; J. Dunkley; M. Halpern; R. S. Hill; N. Jarosik; A. Kogut; M. Limon; S. S. Meyer; N. Odegard; H. V. Peiris; G. S. Tucker; L. Verde; J. L. Weiland; E. Wollack; E. L. Wright
• Keywords: CMB cold spot; Cosmic background radiation

The Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe WMAP has mapped the entire sky in five frequency bands between 23 and 94 GHz with polarization sensitive radiometers. We present three-year full-sky maps of analyze them for foreground emission cosmological implications. These observations open up a new window understanding universe. observes significant levels polarized due to both Galactic synchrotron radiation thermal dust emission. least contaminated channel is at 61 GHz. Informed by model emission, we subtract from maps. In corrected maps, l=2-6, detect l(l+1) C_l^{EE} / (2 pi) = 0.086 +-0.029 microkelvin^2. This interpreted as result rescattering CMB free electrons released during reionization corresponds an optical depth tau 0.10 +- 0.03. see no evidence B-modes, limiting C_l^{BB} -0.04 0.03 find that limit signals alone r<2.2 (95% CL) corresponding on cosmic density gravitational waves Omega_{GW}h^2 < 5 times 10^{-12}. From full analysis, r<0.55 10^{-12} CL).