English

Environmental Dependence of Masses and Coupling Constants

High Energy Physics - Phenomenology 2008-11-26 v3

Abstract

We construct a class of scalar field models coupled to matter that lead to the dependence of masses and coupling constants on the ambient matter density. Such models predict a deviation of couplings measured on the Earth from values determined in low-density astrophysical environments, but do not necessarily require the evolution of coupling constants with the redshift in the recent cosmological past. Additional laboratory and astrophysical tests of \Delta \alpha and \Delta(m_p/m_e) as functions of the ambient matter density are warranted.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.0709.3825,
  title  = {Environmental Dependence of Masses and Coupling Constants},
  author = {Keith A. Olive and Maxim Pospelov},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0709.3825},
  year   = {2008}
}

Comments

20 pages, no figures, references added, minor editorial changes

R2 v1 2026-06-21T09:21:15.205Z