A MAXIMUM-ENTROPY METHOD FOR RECONSTRUCTING INTERFEROMETER MAPS OF FLUCTUATIONS IN THE COSMIC MICROWAVE BACKGROUND-RADIATION

A maximum entropy method (MEM) is presented that simultaneously deconv olves interferometer maps of fluctuations in the cosmic microwave back ground radiation (CMBR) and separates foreground contaminants from the CMBR component. We apply the method to simulated observations based o n the realistic capabilities of the next generation of CMBR interferom eters. We show that it is indeed possible to separate Galactic foregro und and CMBR emission based on the spectral differences alone, without any assumptions about their respective power spectra. Moreover, the m ethod still performs well even for unrealistically high levels of the Galactic emission. We also demonstrate that the power spectra of the i ndividual components are successfully recovered, within the multipole range probed by the instrument.