Related papers: Constraining Variations in the Fine-structure Cons…
We apply a recently demonstrated method for precision spectroscopy on strong transitions in trapped ions to measure both fine structure components of the 3s-3p transition in 24-Mg+ and 26-Mg+. We deduce absolute frequency reference data for…
Recent updated results of quasar spectra suggested a 3.9$\sigma$ significance of spatial variation of the fine-structure constant. Theoretically, it is important to examine whether the fine-structure constant, as a fundamental constant in…
Using a sample of 166 projected quasar pairs we investigate the influence of active galactic nuclei on the circumgalactic medium (CGM) of the quasar host galaxies probed using strong Mg II absorption (i.e., $W_{2796}\ge 1\dot{A}$) at impact…
We present the results of two investigations into the nature of strong (rest equivalent width > 1.0 Ang) Mg II absorption systems at high redshift. The first line of questioning examines the complete SDSS- DR3 set of quasar spectra to…
White dwarf atmospheres are subjected to gravitational potentials around $10^5$ times larger than occur on Earth. They provide a unique environment in which to search for any possible variation in fundamental physics in the presence of…
Review of recent works devoted to the temporal and spatial variation of the fundamental constants and dependence of the fundamental constants on the gravitational potential (violation of local position invariance) is presented. We discuss…
We report multi-epoch GMRT HI observations of the z = 0.3127 damped absorber towards the quasar PKS 1127-145, which reveal variability in both the absorption profile and the flux of the background source, over a time-scale of a few days.…
We forecast the ability of future CMB and galaxy lensing surveys to constrain variations of the fine structure constant. We found that lensing data, as those expected from satellite experiments as Euclid could improve the constraint from…
We present strong constraints on the spacetime variation of the fine-structure constant $\alpha$ using the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI). In this pilot work, we utilize $\sim110,000$ galaxies with strong and narrow O III…
The recent measurements of the Cosmic Microwave Background anisotropies at arcminute angular scales performed by the ACT and SPT experiments are probing the damping regime of CMB fluctuations. The analysis of these datasets unexpectedly…
Recent attempts to constrain cosmological variation in the fine structure constant, alpha, using quasar absorption lines have yielded two statistical samples which initially appear to be inconsistent. One of these samples was subsequently…
We calculate bounds on the variation of the fine structure constant at the time of primordial nucleosynthesis and at the time of neutral hydrogen formation. We use these bounds and other bounds from the late universe to test Bekenstein…
Galaxies hosting z~2 quasars are the high-$z$ progenitors of today's massive `red-and-dead' galaxies. With close pairs of quasars at different redshifts, a background quasar can be used to study a foreground quasar's halo gas in absorption,…
Peik and Tamm [Europhys. Lett. 61, 181 (2003)] proposed a nuclear clock based on the isomeric transition between the ground state and the first excited state of thorium-229. This transition was recognized as a potentially sensitive probe of…
During the past year the MILC Collaboration has continued its study of heavy-light meson decay constants with three dynamical quarks. Calculations have been extended to a second lattice spacing of about 0.09 fm. At this lattice spacing,…
The most precise method of investigating possible space-time variations of the fine-structure constant, using high-redshift quasar absorption lines, is the many-multiplet (MM) method. For reliable results this method requires very accurate…
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…
(Abridged) We present HIRES/Keck spectra having resolution 6 km/s of Mg II 2796 absorption profiles which arise in the gas associated with 15 identified galaxies over the redshift range 0.5 < z < 0.9. Using non-parametric rank correlation…
We discuss present and future cosmological constraints on variations of the fine structure constant $\alpha$ induced by an early dark energy component having the simplest allowed (linear) coupling to electromagnetism. We find that current…
The fine-structure constant, $\alpha$, controls the strength of the electromagnetic interaction. There are extensions of the standard model in which $\alpha$ is dynamical on cosmological length and time-scales. The physics of the cosmic…