Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe WMAP Timeline

1
Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe
(WMAP)Timeline

• June 30, 2001 launched aboard a Delta
  II-7425-10 launch vehicle
• October 1, 2001 arrival at L2
• April 2002 completed first full sky scan
• October 2002 completed second full sky scan
• February 2003 first data released
• April 2003 third full sky scan due to be
  completed

2
Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe
(WMAP)Instrumentation

• Radiometer Differential pseudo-correlation with
  polarization
• Optics Dual Gregorian,
• 1.4 m x 1.6 m
• primary reflectors
• Thermal Passive radiative cooling to lt 95
  kelvins
• Frequencies (GHz)
• 22, 30, 40, 60, 90
• Angular Resolution
• 0.25o 0.93o
• Sensitivity 35 x 10-6 K
• per 0.3o square pixel

3
Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe
(WMAP)Mission Results to Date

• Age of Universe 13.7 billion years /- 1
  margin of error
• First stars ignited 200 million years after Big
  Bang
• Content of the Universe 4 atoms, 23 Cold Dark
  Matter, 73 Dark Energy
• Geometry of the Universe flat
• Expansion Rate (Hubble Constant) Value
• H0 71 km/s/Mpc /- 5
• Inflation New evidence (from polarized signal)
  to support theory
• Fate of the Universe it will expand forever