A BAYESIAN METHOD FOR ANALYZING INTERFEROMETER OBSERVATIONS OF COSMICMICROWAVE BACKGROUND FLUCTUATIONS

A Bayesian method is presented for analysing interferometer observatio ns of cosmic microwave background fluctuations. The general method use d is applicable to any parametrization of the fluctuations, but explic it calculations are restricted to the case of fluctuations described b y a Gaussian autocorrelation function. Simulated observations of such fluctuations are made using a model interferometer with realistic capa bilities. These simulations show that fluctuations of the magnitude fa voured by current theories should be detectable with such an instrumen t.