IL NUOVO CIMENTO DELLA SOCIETAÌ€ ITALIANA DI FISICA. C, GEOPHYSICS AND SPACE PHYSICS
Abstract
COBRAS/SAMBA is an ESA mission designed fur extensive, accurate mapping of the anisotropies of the Cosmic Background Radiation, with angular sensitivity from sub-degree scales up to and overlapping with the COBE-DMR resolution. This will allow a full identification of the primordial density perturbations which grew to form the large-scale structures observed in the present universe. The COBRAS/SAMBA maps will provide powerful tests for the inflationary model and decisive answers on the origin of cosmic structure. A combination of bolometric and radiometric instrumentation will ensure the sensitivity and nide spectral coverage required for accurate foreground discrimination, A far-Earth orbit has been selected to minimize the unwanted emission fi om the Ear th. The project is currently in the Phase A study within the European Space Agency M3 programme.
