cosmic microwave background radiation
1
7.7
- noun
- /ˈkɒzmɪk ˈmaɪkroʊweɪv ˈbækɡraʊnd ˌreɪdiˈeɪʃən/
- Specialized
:
radiación de fondo cósmico de microondas
- The COBRA project is designed to search for anisotropies in the cosmic microwave background radiation (CMBR) and, when found, to map their structure on several scales.
It is always evolving, so I'm going to start with my actual patterns by looking quickly at the cosmic microwave background radiation.
- It is always evolving, so I'm going to start with my actual patterns by looking quickly at the cosmic microwave background radiation.
Examples
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Through the study of cosmic microwave background radiation, cosmologists have gained an excellent understanding of the state of the universe at that "recombination" time.
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There is difficulty reconciling this clumpiness in the distribution of matter with the very high degree of smoothness of the cosmic microwave background radiation.
Academic text (1992) -
A unique signature in the Cosmic Microwave Background radiation.
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Through the study of the cosmic microwave background radiation, cosmologists have gained an excellent understanding of the state of the universe at that "recombination" time.
Academic text (2011) -
The first was the discovery that quantization became more pronounced when redshifts were measured relative to the cosmic microwave background radiation.
Academic text (1995) -
The notorious 3K (pronounced "three degree") relic, blackbody, cosmic microwave background radiation varies across the sky by only a few parts in a hundred thousand (see images above).
Academic text (1995) -
We can still see the cosmic microwave background radiation, a fading shadow of the birth of an expanding universe.
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Robert Wilson described his 1964 discovery, along with Arno Penzias, of the cosmic microwave background radiation at Bell Labs in New Jersey.
Synonyms
3
9.9
Faint light from the early universe that we see across the sky at a very low temperature
2
8.3
Faint microwaves left from the early universe that fill space
2
9.9
Faint light left over from the early universe that fills the sky
1
6.6
A weak glow of heat left from the Big Bang that fills the universe
1
9.2
A faint, very old light left from the Big Bang that fills the universe
Surface Forms
Morphology
cosmic + microwave + background + radiation
The phrase is largely compositional: 'cosmic' (of the universe) + 'microwave' + 'background radiation' conveys the idea of pervasive microwave energy in space, so learners can infer a general sense of universal microwave radiation. However, the precise scientific meaning — a faint, uniform relic radiation left over from the Big Bang (with a specific temperature) — is technical background knowledge that a B1 learner would not derive from the constituents alone, so the transparency is partial.
Etymology
Cosmic microwave background radiation is a name for the faint 'afterglow' left from the very hot early universe. Its parts paint the picture: cosmic means from the whole universe, microwave is the weak light we now detect, background shows it fills space, and radiation means energy, so this faint glow helps scientists learn about the universe's 'origin'.