Probing the origin of the microwave anomalous foreground

Context. The Galactic anomalous microwave emission detected between 10 and 90 GHz is a major foreground to CMB fluctuations. Well correlated with dust emission at 100 mu m, the anomalous foreground is interstellar but its origin is still debated. Possible carriers for this emission are spinning, small dust grains carrying a permanent electric dipole. Aims. To probe the origin of the anomalous foreground, we compare microwave data to dust IR emission on an angular scale of 1 degrees, and search for specific signatures predicted by models of spinning dust. Methods. For the anomalous foreground, we use the 23 GHz all-sky map deduced from WMAP data by Miville-Deschenes and collaborators. The IR dust emission is traced by IRAS data. Models show that spinning dust emission is little sensitive to the intensity of the radiation field (G(0)) for 10 less than or similar to nu less than or similar to 30 GHz, while the mid-IR emission produced by the same small dust grains is proportional to G(0). To test this behaviour in our comparison, we derive G0 from the dust temperature maps of Schlegel and collaborators. Results. From all-sky maps, we show that the anomalous foreground is more strongly correlated with the emission of small grains (at 12 mu m) than with that of large grains (at 100 mu m). In addition, we show that the former correlation is significantly improved when the 12 mu m flux is divided by G(0), as predicted by current models of spinning dust. The results apply to angular scales greater than 1 degrees. Finally, from a model fit of the anomalous foreground, we deduce physical properties for Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons that are in good agreement with those deduced from mid-IR spectroscopy.