Quasar reddening, intergalactic dust, and the microwave background

Abstract

Quasar reddening and distortion of the microwave background are calculated, assuming that dust in intervening galaxies and any possible intergalactic dust follow the extinction curve for dust in the Galaxy. Quasar reddening implies that the average line of sight has a visual extinction of 0.85 + or - 0.51 at z = 3; and this amount of dust is enough to distort the microwave background (given a very bright initial population of stars), but not enough to thermalize the added energy at wavelengths greater than 3 cm.