Description
We present an extensive search to identify the counterparts of all the microwave foreground sources listed in the WMAP 3-year catalogue using literature and archival data. Our work has led to the identification of 309 WMAP sources, 98% of which are blazars, radio quasars, or radio galaxies. Only 7 WMAP detections were identified with other types of cosmic sources (3 starburst galaxies and 4 planetary/LBN nebulae). At present, 15 objects (<5%) still remain without identification because of the unavailability of optical spectroscopic data or a clear radio counterpart. Our results allow us to define a flux-limited sample of 203 high Galactic latitude microwave sources (f_41GHz_>=1Jy, |b_II_|>15{deg} that is virtually completely identified (99%).
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