Data Analysis for the Microwave Anisotropy Probe (MAP) Mission

Abstract

We present an overview of the upcoming Microwave Anisotropy Probe (MAP) mission, with an emphasis on those aspects of the mission that simplify the data analysis. The method used to make sky maps from the differential temperature data is reviewed and we present some of the noise properties expected from these maps. An overview of the method we plan to use to mine the angular power spectrum from the mega-pixel sky maps closes the paper.Comment: For the MAP Science Team. 11 pages, 5 figures, to appear in Mining the Sky, ESO Astrophysics Symposia Serie