Related papers: Does the fine structure constant vary? A third qua…
We wish to study the extent and subparsec scale spatial structure of intervening quasar absorbers, mainly those involving neutral and molecular gas. We have selected quasar absorption systems with high spectral resolution and good S/N data,…
We perform calculations of the dependence of nuclear magnetic moments on quark masses and obtain limits on the variation of $(m_q/\Lambda_{QCD})$ from recent measurements of hydrogen hyperfine (21 cm) and molecular rotational transitions in…
Cosmological dark energy is a natural source of variation of the fine structure constant. Using a model-independent approach we show that once general assumptions about the alpha-varying interactions are made, astronomical probes of its…
The time variation of fundamental mass scales can have profound cosmological implications. We investigate a particular model of crossover quintessence which is compatible with all present cosmological observations. This model can also…
We compare the redshifts of neutral carbon and carbon monoxide in the redshifted sources in which the fine structure transition of neutral carbon, [CI], has been detected, in order to measure space-time variation of the fundamental…
We have searched in the XMM-Newton public archive for quasars in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) First Data Release (DR1), and found 55 lying in the field of a XMM-Newton observation with exposure times >20 ksec (as of August, 2004).…
Aims. We constrain a hypothetical variation in the fundamental physical constants over the course of cosmic time. Methods. We use unique observations of the CO(7-6) rotational line and the [CI] 3P_2 - 3P_1 fine-structure line towards a…
A general model for the cosmological evolution of the fine structure constant \alpha driven by a typical Quintessence scenario is presented. We consider a coupling between the Quintessence scalar \phi and the electromagnetic kinetic term…
We report a new constraint on the variation of the fine-structure constant based on the analysis of 15 Si IV doublets selected from a ESO-UVES sample. We find \Delta\alpha/\alpha = (+0.15+/-0.43) x 10^-5 over a redshift range of 1.59< z <…
Searches for variations of fundamental constants require a comprehensive understanding of measurement errors. This paper examines a source of error that is usually overlooked: the impact of continuum placement error. We investigate the…
The fine structure constant $\alpha$ has a particular status in physics. Its precise determination is required to test the quantum electrodynamics (QED) theory. The constant $\alpha$ is also a keystone for the determination of other…
A sample of quasars has been recently assembled to investigate the non-linear relation between their monochromatic luminosities at 2500{\AA}, and 2 keV and to exploit quasars as a new class of standardized candles. The use of this technique…
Various classes of exotic singularity models have been studied as possible mimic models for the observed recent acceleration of the universe. Here we further study one of these classes and, under the assumption that they are…
Astrophysical tests of the stability of fundamental couplings, such as the fine-structure constant $\alpha$, are a powerful probe of new physics. Recently these measurements, combined with local atomic clock tests and Type Ia supernova and…
Broad absorption lines (BALs) in quasar spectra identify high velocity outflows that likely exist in all quasars and could play a major role in feedback to galaxy evolution. The variability of BALs can help us understand the structure,…
We present a method for studying the proximity effect and the density structure around redshift z=2-3 quasars. It is based on the probability distribution of Lyman-alpha pixel optical depths and its evolution with redshift. We validate the…
Recent quasar spectroscopy from the VLT and Keck telescopes suggests that fundamental constants may not actually be constant. To better confirm or refute this result, systematic errors between telescopes must be minimized. We present a new…
In this paper we examine magnitudes of quasars as a function of redshift in different frequency ranges (u,g,r,i,z). We show that on the smoothed curves mag(Z) in frequency ranges u,g,r there are characteristic features both similar for all…
We study the evolution of the fine-structure constant, $\alpha$, induced by non-linear density perturbations in the context of the simplest class of quintessence models with a non-minimal coupling to the electromagnetic field, in which 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…