Seven-Year Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) Observations: Sky
  Maps, Systematic Errors, and Basic Results
  (Abridged) New full sky temperature and polarization maps based on seven
years of data from WMAP are presented. The new results are consistent with
previous results, but have improved due to reduced noise from the additional
integration time, improved knowledge of the instrument performance, and
improved data analysis procedures. The improvements are described in detail.
The seven year data set is well fit by a minimal six-parameter flat Lambda-CDM
model. The parameters for this model, using the WMAP data in conjunction with
baryon acoustic oscillation data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and priors
on H_0 from Hubble Space Telescope observations, are: Omega_bh^2 = 0.02260
+-0.00053, Omega_ch^2 = 0.1123 +-0.0035, Omega_Lambda = 0.728 +0.015 -0.016,
n_s = 0.963 +-0.012, tau = 0.087 +-0.014 and sigma_8 = 0.809 +-0.024 (68 % CL
uncertainties). The temperature power spectrum signal-to-noise ratio per
multipole is greater that unity for multipoles < 919, allowing a robust
measurement of the third acoustic peak. This measurement results in improved
constraints on the matter density, Omega_mh^2 = 0.1334 +0.0056 -0.0055, and the
epoch of matter- radiation equality, z_eq = 3196 +134 -133, using WMAP data
alone. The new WMAP data, when combined with smaller angular scale microwave
background anisotropy data, results in a 3 sigma detection of the abundance of
primordial Helium, Y_He = 0.326 +-0.075.The power-law index of the primordial
power spectrum is now determined to be n_s = 0.963 +-0.012, excluding the
Harrison-Zel'dovich-Peebles spectrum by >3 sigma. These new WMAP measurements
provide important tests of Big Bang cosmology.
