Related papers: The fine structure constant and numerical alchemy
The anthropic principle implies that life can emerge and be sustained only in a narrow range of values of fundamental constants. Here we show that anthropic arguments can set powerful constraints on {\em transient} variations of the…
Using a gauge-invariant formalism we derive and solve the perturbed cosmological equations for the BSBM theory of varying fine structure 'constant'. We calculate the time evolution of inhomogeneous perturbations of the fine structure…
We consider a long range scalar force that mainly couples to dark matter and unstable Standard Model states, like the muon, with tiny strength. Probing this type of force would present a challenge to observations. We point out that the…
We propose a numerical test of fundamental physics based on the complexity measure of a general set of functions, which is directly related to the Kolmogorov (or algorithmic) complexity studied in mathematics and computer science. The…
One of the topical problems of contemporary physics is a possible variability of the fundamental constants. Here we consider possible variability of two dimensionless constants which are most important for calculation of atomic and…
In this Reply, using E.R. Bezerra de Mello's comment, I correct calculations and results presented in Phys. Lett. B 614 (2005) 140-142 about fine structure constant in the spacetime of a cosmic string.
We revisit, qualify, and objectively resolve the seemingly controversial question about what is the number of dimensional fundamental constants in Nature. For this purpose, we only assume that all we can directly measure are space and time…
The local structure theory for cellular automata (CA) can be viewed as an finite-dimensional approximation of infinitely-dimensional system. While it is well known that this approximation works surprisingly well for some cellular automata,…
This paper explores in some detail a recent proposal (the Rieffel induction/refined algebraic quantization scheme) for the quantization of constrained gauge systems. Below, the focus is on systems with a single constraint and, in this…
The problem of understanding fundamental physical constants was discussed in particle physics, astronomy and cosmology. Here, I show that a new insight comes from condensed matter physics and liquid physics in particular: fundamental…
We use Vaschy-Buckhingham Theorem as a systematic tool to build univocal n-dimensional extensions of the electric and gravitational fine structure constants and show that their ratio is dimensionally invariant. The results allow us to…
A well-known topic within the philosophy of physics is the problem of fine-tuning: the fact that the universal constants seem to take non-arbitrary values in order for live to thrive in our Universe. In this paper we will talk about this…
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…
Evidence for a positive cosmological constant $\Lambda$, derived from the Ly$\alpha$-forest in high-resolution spectra of quasars, leads to a closed, low-density, $\Lambda$-dominated universe. The analysis is based on the assumption of a…
We argue that models in which an observable variation of the fine structure constant is explained by motion of a cosmic scalar field, are not stable under renormalization, and require massive fine tuning that cannot be explained by any…
For an arbitrary del Pezzo surface S, we compute alpha(S), which is the volume of a certain polytope in the dual of the effective cone of S, using Magma and Polymake. The constant alpha(S) appears in Peyre's conjecture for the leading term…
From astrophysics there are indications that the finestructure constant $\alpha $ has changed during the past 10 billion years. Within grand unification one can deduce that also the QCD scale has changed. Tests for a time variation of this…
The extraction of the weak phase $\alpha$ from $B\to\pi\pi$ decays has been controversial from a statistical point of view, as the frequentist vs. bayesian confrontation shows. We analyse several relevant questions which have not deserved…
Recent key observational results on the variation of fine structure constant, the proton to electron mass ratio and the gravitational constant are reviewed. The necessity to substantiate the dark sector of cosmology and to test gravity on…
We examine the variation of the fine structure constant in the context of a two-field quintessence model. We find that, for solutions that lead to a transient late period of accelerated expansion, it is possible to fit the data arising from…