Topology of COBE Microwave Background Fluctuations

Abstract

We have measured the topology (genus) of the fluctuations in the cosmic microwave background seen in the recently completed (four-year) data set produced by the COBE satellite. We find that the genus is consistent with that expected from a random-phase Gaussian distribution, as might be produced naturally in inflationary models.Comment: 2 pages, one Post-Script figure, MNRAS LaTeX Style (mn.sty), submitted to MNRA