Minimal anisotropies in the cosmic microwave background

A second-order perturbation theory approach is developed to provide a calculation of temperature anisotropies in the cosmic microwave background. Results with zero or negligible Sachs-Wolfe effect are given for models based on specific initial conditions, these models fitting the large-scale structure observations. No fluctuations are present on the surface of last scattering, but arise at low redshift and amount to $\frac{\delta T}{T}\sim {10}^{-6\mathrm{}}$. The ratio of quadrupole to intermediate angular scale anisotropy is predicted to be about a factor of 2 less than expected in the standard inflationary models of large-scale structure.