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The [O III] $\lambda\lambda\ 4960,5008$ emission lines in the optical spectra of galaxies and quasars have been widely used to investigate the possible variation of the fine-structure constant $\alpha$ over cosmic time. In this work, we…

Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics · Physics 2025-01-08 Jin-Nan Wei , Rui-Jie Chen , Jun-Jie Wei , Martín López-Corredoira , Xue-Feng Wu

Cosmological variation of the fine structure constant $\alpha$ due to the evolution of a spatially homogeneous ultra-light scalar field ($m \sim H_0$) during the matter and $\Lambda$ dominated eras is analyzed. Agreement of $\Delta…

Astrophysics · Physics 2009-11-07 Carl L. Gardner

Motivated by previous studies of QSO spectra that reported a variation of the fine structure constant alpha, a search for C IV and Si IV doublets was conducted in the absorption spectrum toward QSO 1101-264, obtained by VLT-UVES during the…

Astrophysics · Physics 2007-05-23 A. F. Martinez Fiorenzano , G. Vladilo , P. Bonifacio

We present a detailed analysis of a very high resolution (R\approx 112,000) spectrum of the quasar HE 0515-4414 obtained using the High Accuracy Radial velocity Planet Searcher (HARPS) mounted on the ESO 3.6 m telescope at the La Silla…

Recent observations show that the electromagnetic fine-structure constant, $\alpha_e$, may vary with space and time. In the framework of Finsler spacetime, we propose here an anisotropic cosmological model, in which both the spatial and…

Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics · Physics 2017-05-09 Xin Li , Hai-Nan Lin

Exploring the possibility that fundamental constants of Nature might vary temporally or spatially constitutes one of the key science drivers for the European Southern Observatory's ESPRESSO spectrograph on the VLT and for the HIRES…

Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics · Physics 2021-04-21 Chung-Chi Lee , John K. Webb , R. F. Carswell , Dinko Milaković

We report unbiased AI measurements of the fine structure constant $\alpha$ in two proximate absorption regions in the spectrum of the quasar HE0515$-$4414. The data are high resolution, high signal to noise, and laser frequency comb…

Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics · Physics 2025-03-18 John K. Webb , Chung-Chi Lee , Dinko Milakovic , Victor V. Flambaum , Vladimir A. Dzuba , Joao Magueijo

The recent evidence for a cosmological evolution of the fine structure constant \alpha=e^2/\hbar c found from an analysis of absorption systems in the spectra of distant quasars, is modelled by a cosmological scenario in which it is assumed…

Astrophysics · Physics 2007-05-23 J. W. Moffat

We study the change of the effective fine structure constant in the cosmological models of a scalar field with a non-vanishing coupling to the electromagnetic field. Combining cosmological data and terrestrial observations we place…

High Energy Physics - Phenomenology · Physics 2009-11-10 E. J. Copeland , N. J. Nunes , M. Pospelov

We investigate the variation of the fine-structure constant, {\alpha}, in symmetron models using N-body simulations in which the full spatial distribution of {\alpha} at different redshifts has been calculated. In particular, we obtain…

Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics · Physics 2014-01-29 Marvin F. Silva , Hans A. Winther , David F. Mota , C. J. A. P. Martins

Calculation of the Dirac hydrogen atom spectrum in the framework of dynamical fine structure constant (alpha) variability discloses a small departure in the laboratory from Sommerfeld's formula for the fine structure shifts, possibly…

Astrophysics · Physics 2007-05-23 Jacob D. Bekenstein

Temporal and spatial variation of fine-structure constant $\alpha\equiv e^2/\hbar c$ in cosmology has been reported in analysis of combination Keck and VLT data. This paper studies this variation based on consideration of basic spacetime…

General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology · Physics 2015-09-02 Sze-Shiang Feng , Mu-Lin Yan

Quasar absorption spectra at 21-cm and UV rest-wavelengths are used to estimate the time variation of x=alpha^2 g_p mu, where alpha is the fine structure constant, g_p the proton g factor, and m_e/m_p=mu the electron/proton mass ratio. Over…

Astrophysics · Physics 2009-08-18 P. Tzanavaris , J. K. Webb , M. T. Murphy , V. V. Flambaum , S. J. Curran

We investigate recent claims by Secrest et al. of an anomalously large amplitude of the dipole in the distribution of CatWISE-selected quasars on the sky. Two main issues indicate that the systematic uncertainties in the derived…

Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics · Physics 2025-01-22 Arefe Abghari , Emory F. Bunn , Lukas T. Hergt , Boris Li , Douglas Scott , Raelyn M. Sullivan , Dingchen Wei

We present a short review of the current quasar (QSO) absorption line constraints on possible variation of the fine structure constant, alpha = e^2/(hbar*c). Particular attention is paid to recent optical Keck/HIRES spectra of 49 absorption…

Astrophysics · Physics 2009-08-18 M. T. Murphy , J. K. Webb , V. V. Flambaum , S. J. Curran

Recent observations on the quasar absorption spectra supply evidence for the variation of the fine structure constant $\alpha$. In this paper, we propose another interpretation of the observational data on the quasar absorption spectra: a…

General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology · Physics 2012-02-15 Zhe Chang , Sai Wang , Xin Li

We present a new `supercalibration' technique for measuring systematic distortions in the wavelength scales of high resolution spectrographs. By comparing spectra of `solar twin' stars or asteroids with a reference laboratory solar…

Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics · Physics 2015-06-22 J. B. Whitmore , M. T. Murphy

We present evidence for variations in the fine-structure constant from Keck/HIRES spectra of 143 quasar absorption systems over the redshift range 0.2 < z_abs < 4.2. This includes 15 new systems, mostly at high-z (z_abs > 1.8). Our most…

Astrophysics · Physics 2009-08-18 M. T. Murphy , V. V. Flambaum , J. K. Webb , V. V. Dzuba , J. X. Prochaska , A. M. Wolfe

The fine structure constant, $\alpha$, sets the strength of the electromagnetic force. The Standard Model of particle physics provides no explanation for its value, which could potentially vary. The wavelengths of stellar absorption lines…

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics · Physics 2022-11-30 Michael T. Murphy , Daniel A. Berke , Fan Liu , Chris Flynn , Christian Lehmann , Vladimir A. Dzuba , Victor V. Flambaum

At redshifts z_abs < 2, quasar absorption-line constraints on space-time variations in the fine-structure constant, alpha, rely on the comparison of MgII and FeII transition wavelengths. One potentially important uncertainty is the relative…

Astrophysics · Physics 2008-11-26 Y. Fenner , M. T. Murphy , B. K. Gibson