Related papers: Robust laboratory limits on a cosmological spatial…
The laws of physics have a set of fundamental constants, and it is generally admitted that only dimensionless combinations of constants have physical significance. These combinations include the electromagnetic and gravitational fine…
We present the effective-field theory (EFT)-based cosmological full-shape analysis of the anisotropic power spectrum of eBOSS quasars at the effective redshift $z_{\rm eff}=1.48$. We perform extensive tests of our pipeline on simulations,…
We use the statistics of strong gravitational lensing from the CLASS survey to impose constraints on the velocity dispersion and density profile of elliptical galaxies. This approach differs from much recent work, where the luminosity…
We discuss experiments and observations aimed at testing the possible space-time variability of fundamental physical constants, predicted by the modern theory. Specifically, we consider two of the dimensionless physical parameters which are…
The strong intervening absorption system at redshift 1.15 towards the very bright quasar HE 0515$-$4414 is the most studied absorber for measuring possible cosmological variations in the fine-structure constant, $\alpha$. We observed HE…
Recently funded satellites will map the cosmic microwave background radiation with unprecedented sensitivities and angular resolutions. Assuming only primordial adiabatic scalar and tensor perturbations, we evaluate how accurately…
In this paper we obtain constraints on the cosmological density parameters, \Omega_m and \Omega_b, by comparing the preliminary measurement of the QSO power spectrum from the two degree field QSO redshift survey with results from an…
We review the evidence behind recent claims of spatial variation in the fine structure constant deriving from observations of ionic absorption lines in the light from distant quasars. To this end we expand upon previous non-Bayesian…
Only astronomical observations can effectively probe in space-time the variabil ity of the physical dimensionless constants such as the fine structure constant and proton-to-electron mass ratio, \mu, which are related to fund amental forces…
We use higher-redshift gamma-ray burst (GRB), HII starburst galaxy (HIIG), and quasar angular size (QSO-AS) measurements to constrain six spatially flat and non-flat cosmological models. These three sets of cosmological constraints are…
Several cosmological measurements have attained significant levels of maturity and accuracy over the last decade. Continuing this trend, future observations promise measurements of the statistics of the cosmic mass distribution at an…
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…
Detections of local maxima in the density perturbation spectrum at characteristic comoving scales L~100-200h^{-1}Mpc have previously been claimed. Here, this cosmic standard ruler is sought in the ``10K'' release of the 2dF QSO Redshift…
Detecting or placing upper limits on spacetime variations of fundamental constants requires quantifying every potential source of uncertainty. We continue our previous study into the impact of continuum variations on measurements of the…
In universes with significant curvature or cosmological constant, cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropies are created very recently via the Rees-Sciama or integrated Sachs-Wolfe effects. This causes the CMB anisotropies to become…
In this review we discuss the progress of the past decade in testing for a possible temporal variation of the fine structure constant $\alpha$. Advances in atomic sample preparation, laser spectroscopy and optical frequency measurements led…
We use a range of cosmological data to constrain phenomenological modifications to general relativity on cosmological scales, through modifications to the Poisson and lensing equations. We include cosmic microwave background anisotropy…
Precise radial velocity measurements (delta v/c ~ 10^{-7}) of FeII lines in damped Ly-alpha systems from very high quality VLT/UVES spectra of quasars HE0515-4414 and Q1101-264 are used to probe cosmological time dependence of the fine…
The fundamental constants of electromagnetism, gravity and quantum mechanics can be related empirically by the numerical approximation $\ln(V_e/V_P)\approx \alpha^{-1}$, where $\alpha$ is the low energy value of the electromagnetic fine…
We use a combination of simulated cosmological probes and astrophysical tests of the stability of the fine-structure constant $\alpha$, as expected from the forthcoming European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT), to constrain the class of…