Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe DR2

The data made available through this page has been updated. The most recent version of this data may be accessed through https://lambda.gsfc.nasa.gov/product/wmap/current/

Maximum Entropy Method Maps

Coordinate System:
Galactic
Projection Type:
1°
Resolution:
HEALPix, nested, res 8 (Nside=256)
Download Links:

The Maximum Entropy Method (MEM) is used to derive all-sky maps of the synchrotron, free-free and dust foregrounds at each of the 5 WMAP frequencies. Using the Smoothed I Maps minus the ILC map as input, representations of each of the foregrounds are fit to each pixel independently. The synchrotron spectrum is allowed to vary for each pixel, while the free-free and dust spectral indices are assumed to be constant over the sky. The MEM technique fits for the separate components by maximizing an entropy functional using the listed templates as priors:

Component Prior
Synchrotron Haslam 408 MHz
Free Free Extinction-corrected H-alpha Map
Dust FDS Map

Foreground maps of each component for each frequency band are supplied. Note that the model temperatures are in mK, antenna temperature, rather than in thermodynamic units.

Additional Information

A service of the HEASARC and of the Astrophysics Science Division at NASA/GSFC
Goddard Space Flight Center, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
HEASARC Director: Dr. Andrew F. Ptak
LAMBDA Director: Dr. Thomas M. Essinger-Hileman
NASA Official: Dr. Thomas M. Essinger-Hileman
Web Curator: Mr. Michael R. Greason