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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

Theories unifying gravity with other interactions suggest spatial and temporal variation of fundamental ``constants'' in the Universe. A change in the fine structure constant, alpha, could be detected via shifts in the frequencies of atomic…

Various experiments and observations have led researchers to suggest different bounds on fundamental constants like the fine-structure constant and the proton-to-electron mass ratio. These bounds differ mostly due to the energy scale of the…

General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology · Physics 2023-06-05 Surajit Kalita , Akhil Uniyal

Previous, large samples of quasar absorption spectra have indicated some evidence for relative variations in the fine-structure constant ($\Delta\alpha/\alpha$) across the sky. However, they were likely affected by long-range distortions of…

Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics · Physics 2017-08-02 Michael T. Murphy , Kathy L. Cooksey

Searches for magnetic fields in white dwarfs have clarified both the frequency of occurrence and the global structure of the fields found down to field strengths of the order of 500 kG. Below this level, the situation is still very unclear.…

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics · Physics 2015-08-19 J. D. Landstreet , S. Bagnulo , G. G. Valyavin , D. Gadelshin , A. J. Martin , G. Galazutdinov , E. Semenko

Leveraging the large sample size of low-resolution spectroscopic surveys to constrain white dwarf stellar structure requires an accurate understanding of the shapes of hydrogen absorption lines, which are pressure broadened by the Stark…

White dwarfs represent the most common end stage of stellar evolution and are important for a range of astrophysical questions. The high-resolution ultraviolet spectroscopic capability of the Habitable World Observatory (HWO) offers a…

Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics · Physics 2025-07-08 Siyi Xu , Martin Barstow , Andy Buchan , Érika Le Bourdais , Patrick Dufour

Sensitivity coefficients to temporal variation of the fine-structure constant alpha for transitions between the fine-structure (FS) sub-levels of the ground states of C I, Si I, S I, Ti I, Fe I, N II, Fe II, O III, S III, Ar III, Fe III, Mg…

Astrophysics · Physics 2009-09-01 M. G. Kozlov , S. G. Porsev , S. A. Levshakov , D. Reimers , P. Molaro

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

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…

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

(Abridged) Many-multiplet (MM) method applied to three inhomogeneous samples of Keck/HIRES quasar absorption spectra gives a shift in the value of the fine-structure constant of Delta alpha/alpha = (-5.4+/-1.2) 10^{-6} in the redshift range…

Astrophysics · Physics 2017-08-23 Sergei A. Levshakov

We present an up-to-date analysis for a precise determination of the effective fine structure constant and discuss the prospects for future improvements. We advocate to use a determination monitored by the Adler function which allows us to…

High Energy Physics - Phenomenology · Physics 2008-11-07 F. Jegerlehner

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…

Atomic Physics · Physics 2009-08-18 V. A. Dzuba , V. V. Flambaum , J. K. Webb.

We critically review the current null results on a varying fine-structure constant, alpha, derived from VLT/UVES quasar absorption spectra, focusing primarily on the many-multiplet analysis of 23 absorbers from which Chand et al. (2004)…

Astrophysics · Physics 2008-11-26 Michael T. Murphy , John K. Webb , Victor V. Flambaum

A new method based on large-scale structure observations is proposed to probe a possible time variation of the fine-structure constant ($\alpha$). Our analyses are based on time-delay of Strong Gravitational Lensing and Type Ia Supernovae…

Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics · Physics 2021-09-09 L. R. Colaço , J. E. Gonzalez , R. F. L. Holanda

Spectra of molecular hydrogen (H$_2$) are employed to search for a possible proton-to-electron mass ratio ($\mu$) dependence on gravity. The Lyman transitions of H$_2$, observed with the Hubble Space Telescope towards white dwarf stars that…

General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology · Physics 2014-10-02 Julija Bagdonaite , Edcel J. Salumbides , Simon P. Preval , Martin A. Barstow , John D. Barrow , Michael T. Murphy , Wim Ubachs

(Abridged) A procedure is suggested to explore the value of F = alpha^2/mu, where mu = m_e/m_p is the electron-to-proton mass ratio, and alpha is the fine-structure constant. The fundamental physical constants, which are measured in…

Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics · Physics 2015-05-18 S. A. Levshakov , P. Molaro , D. Reimers

In this paper we derive a bound on the rate of change of the gravitational constant G coming from the pulsating white dwarf G117-B15A. This star is a ZZ Ceti pulsator extensively studied with astroseismological techniques for last three…

Astrophysics · Physics 2009-11-07 Marek Biesiada , Beata Malec

QSO absorption spectra provide an extremely useful probe of possible cosmological variation in various physical constants. Comparison of H I 21cm absorption with corresponding molecular (rotational) absorption spectra allows us to constrain…

Astrophysics · Physics 2009-08-18 M. T. Murphy , J. K. Webb , V. V. Flambaum , M. J. Drinkwater , F. Combes , T. Wiklind

It was hypothesized in the literature that some physical parameters may be time-evolving and the astrophysical data can serve as a probe. Recently, James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have released its early observations. In this work, we…

Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics · Physics 2024-11-15 Ze-Fan Wang , Lei Lei , Lei Feng , Yi-Zhong Fan