Dominant Multipoles in WMAP5 Mosaic Data Correlation Maps

TL;DR

This paper uses correlation mapping on full-sky data to identify anomalous correlations and dominant quadrupole contributions in the ILC map and background components, revealing potential biases and new insights into the data's structure.

Contribution

It introduces a correlation mapping method to analyze WMAP5 data, uncovering dominant multipoles and anomalous correlations not previously documented.

Findings

Anomalous correlations in the main plane and poles of coordinate systems.

Dominant quadrupole contribution in the power spectrum.

Discussion of potential causes for the anomalous signals.

Abstract

The method of correlation mapping on the full sphere is used to study the properties of the ILC map, as well as the dust and synchrotron background components. An anomalous correlation of the components with the ILC map in the main plane and in the poles of the ecliptic and equatorial coordinate systems was discovered. Apart from the bias, a dominant quadrupole contribution in the power spectrum of the mosaic correlation maps was found in the pixel correlation histogram. Various causes of the anomalous signal are discussed.