Related papers: Phase transition in the fine structure constant
Absorption spectroscopy toward high-redshift quasars provides strong constraints on the putative variation of fundamental constants of physics on cosmological time scales. The submillimeter ground-state transitions of methylidyne (CH) and…
Comparison of quasar absorption spectra with laboratory spectra allow us to probe possible variations in the fundamental constants over cosmological time-scales. In a companion paper we present an analysis of Keck/HIRES spectra and report…
We study the role of fundamental constants in an updated recombination scenario. We focus on the time variation of the fine structure constant, and the electron mass in the early Universe, and put bounds on these quantities by using data…
Attempts to measure the variability of the fine structure constant alpha over cosmological time, using spectra of high redshift quasars have produced conflicting results. We use the Many Multiplet (MM) method with Mg II and Fe II lines on…
Using the BSBM varying-alpha theory, with dark matter dominated by magnetic energy, and the spherical collapse model for cosmological structure formation, we have studied the effects of the dark-energy equation of state and the coupling of…
Aims. We constrain a hypothetical variation in the fundamental physical constants over the course of cosmic time. Methods. We use unique observations of the CO(7-6) rotational line and the [CI] 3P_2 - 3P_1 fine-structure line towards a…
We report preliminary results from a third sample of quasar absorption line spectra from the Keck telescope which has been studied to search for any possible variation of the fine structure constant, alpha. This third sample, which is…
The possibility of reconstructing the dark energy equation of state from variations in the fine structure constant is investigated for a class of models where the quintessence field is non-minimally coupled to the electromagnetic field. For…
In this work we analyze the spatial and time variation of the fine structure constant (\alpha) upon the theoretical framework developed by Bekenstein [1]. We have computed the field \psi related to \alpha at first order of the weak field…
Various classes of exotic singularity models have been studied as possible mimic models for the observed recent acceleration of the universe. Here we further study one of these classes and, under the assumption that they are…
In this paper, we investigate how the fine structure constant, $\alpha$, locally varies in the presence of a static and spherically symmetric gravitational source. The procedure consists in calculating the solution and the energy…
Motivated by reported claims of the measurements of a variation of the fine structure constant $\alpha$ we consider a theory where the electric charge, and consequently $\alpha$, is not a constant but depends on the Ricci scalar $R$. %We…
We report on constraints to the cosmological jerk parameter ($j$) and to possible variability of the fine-structure constant ($\Delta \alpha/\alpha$) based on stochastic quintessence models of dark energy, discussed by Chongchitnan and…
We review some of the history and properties of theories for the variation of the gravitation and fine structure 'constants'. We highlight some general features of the cosmological models that exist in these theories with reference to…
We calculate the dependence of atomic transition frequencies on the fine structure constant, $\alpha = e^2/\hbar c$, for some ions of Ti, Mn, Na, C, and O. The results of these calculations will be used in the search for variation of alpha…
The fine structure constant, alpha, is shown to be proportional to the ratio of the quanta of electric and magnetic flux of force of the electron, and provides a new representation, which is global across all unit systems. Consequently, a…
We study constraints on time variation of the fine structure constant alpha from cosmic microwave background (CMB) taking into account simultaneous change in alpha and the electron mass m_e which might be implied in unification theories. We…
Theories unifying gravity and other interactions suggest the possibility of spatial and temporal variation of physical ``constants'' in the Universe. Detection of high redshift absorption systems intersecting the sight lines towards distant…
We present measurements of absorption by the 21cm hyperfine transition of neutral hydrogen toward radio sources at substantial look-back times. These data are used in combination with observations of rotational transitions of common…
I review recent constraints on and claimed detections of a time-varying fine-structure constant $\alpha$. Our results are consistent with no variation in $\alpha$ from the epoch of recombination to the present day, and restrict any such…