ANOMALOUS COMPONENT OF GALACTIC EMISSION

We present results from microwave background observations at the Owens Valley Radio Observatory. These observations, at 14.5 and 32 GHz, are designed to detect intrinsic anisotropy on scales of 7'-22'. After po int-source removal, we detect significant emission with temperature sp ectral index beta similar or equal to -2 toward the north celestial po le (NCP). Comparison of our data with the IRAS 100 mu m map of the sam e fields reveals a strong correlation between this emission and the in frared dust emission. From the lack of detectable H alpha emission, we conclude that the signals are consistent either with flat-spectrum sy nchrotron radiation or with free-free emission from T-e greater than o r similar to 10(6) K gas, probably associated with a large H I feature known as the NCP Loop. Assuming beta = -2.2, our data indicate a conv ersion T-f/I-100 mu m, = 7.5 X 10(-2)nu(GHz)(-2.2) K (MJy sr(-1))(-1) The detection of such a component suggests that we should be cautious in any assumptions made regarding foregrounds when designing experimen ts to map the microwave background radiation.