Related papers: The UVES Large Program for testing fundamental phy…

We have previously presented 5.7-sigma evidence for a smaller alpha at redshifts 0.2 < z_abs < 3.7 from a sample of 128 Keck/HIRES quasar absorption systems: da/a = (-0.57 +/- 0.10) x 10^{-5}. A non-zero da/a manifests itself as a distinct…

We previously reported Keck telescope observations suggesting a smaller value of the fine structure constant, alpha, at high redshift. New Very Large Telescope (VLT) data, probing a different direction in the universe, shows an inverse…

Quasar absorption spectral data indicate the presence of a spatial gradient in the electromagnetic fine-structure constant $\alpha$ on cosmological length scales. We point out that experiments with accelerometers, including torsion pendula…

Observations of metal absorption systems in the spectra of distant quasars allow to constrain a possible variation of the fine-structure constant throughout the history of the Universe. Such a test poses utmost demands on the wavelength…

Strong-gravitational lens systems with quadruply-imaged quasars (quads) are unique probes to address several fundamental problems in cosmology and astrophysics. Although they are intrinsically very rare, ongoing and planned wide-field…

Hot white dwarf stars are the ideal probe for a relationship between the fine-structure constant and strong gravitational fields, providing us with an opportunity for a direct observational test. We study a sample of hot white dwarf stars,…

Testing the distance-sum-rule in strong lensing systems provides an interesting method to determine the curvature parameter $\Omega_k$ using more local objects. In this paper, we apply this method to a quite recent data set of strong…

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…

There are indications from the study of quasar absorption spectra that the fine structure constant $\alpha$ may have been measurably smaller for redshifts $z>2.$ Analyses of other data ($^{149}$Sm fission rate for the Oklo natural reactor,…

The spectrograph ESPRESSO recently obtained a limit on the variation of the fine-structure constant, $\alpha$, through measurements along the line of sight of a bright quasar with a precision of $1.36$ ppm at $1\sigma$ level. This imposes…

We propose a new methodology for probing the cosmological variability of alpha from pairs of FeII lines (SIDAM, single ion differential alpha measurement) observed in individual exposures from a high resolution spectrograph. By this we…

We present the results of an imaging observation campaign conducted with the Subaru Telescope adaptive optics system (IRCS+AO188) on 28 gravitationally lensed quasars (23 doubles, 1 quad, and 1 possible triple, and 3 candidates) from the…

We present a spectroscopic follow-up program targeting closely-separated dual quasar candidates selected from imaging of SDSS quasars with the Subaru Hyper Suprime-Cam Subaru Strategic Program (HSC-SSP). Using two-dimensional image…

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…

Quasar spectra reveal a rich array of important astrophysical information about galaxies which intersect the quasar line of sight. They also enable tests of the variability of fundamental constants over cosmological time and…

The spectrophotometric flux calibration of recent spectroscopic surveys has reached a limiting systematic precision of approximately 1-3 percent, and is often biased near the wavelengths associated with H I Balmer absorption. As we prepare…

We attempt to measure possible miscalibration of the wavelength scale of the VLT-UVES spectrograph. We take spectra of QSO HE0515-4414 through the UVES iodine cell which contains thousands of well-calibrated iodine lines and compare these…

We test the consistency of several independent astrophysical measurements of fundamental dimensionless constants. In particular, we compare direct measurements of the fine-structure constant $\alpha$ and the proton-to-electron mass ratio…

We present a new method to test the cosmological model, based on the non-linear relation between ultraviolet and X-ray luminosity of quasars. We built a data set of ~1,138 quasars by merging several literature samples with X-ray…

Measurements of the fine-structure constant alpha require methods from across subfields and are thus powerful tests of the consistency of theory and experiment in physics. Using the recoil frequency of cesium-133 atoms in a matter-wave…