MICROWAVE BACKGROUND-RADIATION RELATED EVIDENCE IN FAVOR OF THE STANDARD MODEL

The discovery of the 3K microwave background radiation (MBR) and its i nterpretation as a relict of the hot big bang was probably the most im portant observation that led to the elevation of the hot big bang mode l to the status of a 'Standard Model'. The temperature of this backgro und is consistent with the primordial nucleosynthesis hypothesis. Deta iled measurements of the spectrum and angular anisotropy of this radia tion background have been found - within the measurement errors to be consistent with the expectations of the Standard Model and with the fo rmation of structure from the gravitational growth of primordial seed density perturbations within this framework.