Related papers: Can hidden correlations mimic a variable fine stru…
Gravitational anomalies such as the mine/borehole g anomaly, the near-flatness of the spiral galaxy rotation-velocity curves, currently interpreted as a `dark matter' effect, the absence of that effect in ordinary elliptical galaxies, and…
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…
We report on constraints to the cosmological jerk parameter ($j$) and to possible variability of the fine-structure constant ($\Delta \alpha/\alpha$) based on stochastic quintessence models of dark energy, discussed by Chongchitnan and…
Endeavours of the unification of the four fundamental interactions have resulted in a development of theories having cosmological solutions in which low-energy limits of fundamental physical constants vary with time. The validity of such…
A recently discovered inverse correlation between QSO redshift and long-term continuum variability timescales was suggested to be the signature of microlensing on cosmological scales (Hawkins 1993). A general theoretical method for…
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 their Letter [Phys. Rev. Lett. 92, 121302 (2004)] (also [Astron. Astrophys. 417, 853 (2004)]), Srianand et al. analysed optical spectra of heavy-element species in 23 absorption systems along background quasar sight-lines, reporting…
The linear growth factor of density perturbations is believed to be a powerful observable of future redshift surveys to probe physical properties of dark energy and to distinguish among gravity theories. We investigate systematic effects on…
We derive the expression for the observed redshift in the weak field limit in the observer's past light cone, including all relativistic terms up to second order in velocity. We then apply it to compute the cluster-galaxy cross-correlation…
We present a class of models in which the coupling of the photon to an ultralight scalar field that has a time-dependent vacuum expectation value causes the fine structure constant to oscillate in time. The scalar field is assumed to…
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…
The possible variation of the electromagnetic fine structure constant $\alpha_e$ on cosmological scales arouses great interests in recent years. The strongly lensed gravitational waves and the electromagnetic counterparts could be used to…
The remarkable detection of a spatial variation in the fine-structure constant, alpha, from quasar absorption systems must be independently confirmed by complementary searches. In this letter, we discuss how terrestrial measurements of…
At redshifts z_abs < 2, quasar absorption-line constraints on space-time variations in the fine-structure constant, alpha, rely on the comparison of MgII and FeII transition wavelengths. One potentially important uncertainty is the relative…
The fine structure constant, $\alpha$, sets the strength of the electromagnetic force. The Standard Model of particle physics provides no explanation for its value, which could potentially vary. The wavelengths of stellar absorption lines…
We investigate the statistics of flux anomalies in gravitationally lensed QSOs as a function of dark matter halo properties such as substructure content and halo ellipticity. We do this by creating a very large number of simulated lenses…
We describe a new technique to estimate variations in the fundamental constants using 18cm OH absorption lines. This has the advantage that all lines arise in the same species, allowing a clean comparison between the measured redshifts. In…
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…
We present a review of recent works devoted to the variation of the fine structure constant alpha, strong interaction and fundamental masses. There are some hints for the variation in quasar absorption spectra, Big Bang nucleosynthesis, and…
It has been widely believed that variability of the fine-structure constant alpha would imply detectable violations of the weak equivalence principle. This belief is not justified in general. It is put to rest here in the context of the…