Related papers: On a time varying fine structure constant
It is shown that a first-order cosmological perturbation theory for the open, flat and closed Friedmann-Lema\^itre-Robertson-Walker universes admits one, and only one, gauge-invariant variable which describes the perturbation to the energy…
Astrophysical indications that the fine structure constant has undergone a small time variation during the cosmological evolution are discussed within the framework of the standard model of the electroweak and strong interactions and of…
We study the correlations between parameters characterizing neutrino physics and the evolution of dark energy. Using a fluid approach, we show that time-varying dark energy models exhibit degeneracies with the cosmic neutrino background…
Fundamental constants are a cornerstone of our physical laws. Any constant varying in space and/or time would reflect the existence of an almost massless field that couples to matter. This will induce a violation of the universality of free…
Motivated by the Dirac idea that fundamental constant are dynamical variables and by conjectures on quantum structure of spacetime at small distances, we consider the possibility that Planck constant $\hbar$ is a time depending quantity,…
Within the context of mass-varying neutrinos, we construct a cosmological model that has a phase transition in the electromagnetic fine structure constant \alpha at a redshift of 0.5. The model accommodates hints of a time variable \alpha…
This paper introduces new tests of fundamental physics by means of the analysis of disturbances on the GNSS signal propagation. We show how the GNSS signals are sensitive to a space variation of the fine structure constant $\alpha$ in a…
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 examine big bang nucleosynthesis (BBN) in models with a time-varying gravitational constant $G$, when this time variation is rapid on the scale of the expansion rate $H$, i.e, $\dot G/G \gg H$. Such models can arise naturally in the…
Astronomical observations are suggesting that the fine structure constant varies cosmologically. We present an analysis on the consequences that these variations might induce on the electromagnetic field as a whole. We show that under these…
I review recent constraints on and claimed detections of a time-varying fine-structure constant $\alpha$. Our results are consistent with no variation in $\alpha$ from the epoch of recombination to the present day, and restrict any such…
The traditional "explanation" for the observed acceleration of the universe is the existence of a positive cosmological constant. However, this can hardly be a truly convincing explanation, as an expanding universe is not expected to have a…
It has been known that dimensional constants such as $\hbar$, $c$, $G$, $e$, and $k$ are merely human constructs whose values and units vary depending on the chosen system of measurement. Therefore, the time variation of dimensional…
We show that the Supernovae results, implying evidence for an accelerating Universe, may be closely related to the recent discovery of redshift dependence in the fine structure constant $\alpha$. The link is a class of varying speed of…
Discussion of the constancy, or otherwise, of the various so-called universal constants which abound in physics has continued for many years. However, relatively recent observations, which appear to indicate a variation in the value of the…
We review recent activity searching for variations in the fundamental constants of nature in quasar absorption spectra and in the laboratory. While research in this direction has been ongoing for many decades, the topic has recently been…
It is proposed that the Higgs vacuum possesses a small-scale structure that can explain the large discrepancy between the predicted electroweak vacuum energy density and the observed cosmological constant. An effective Lagrangian…
Observations indicate that the evolution of our universe can be divided into three epochs consisting of early time inflation, radiation (and matter) domination and the late time acceleration. One can associate with each of these epochs a…
The gravitational field produced by a domain wall acts as a medium with spacetime-dependent permittivity \epsilon. Therefore, the fine structure constant \alpha = e^2/4 \pi \epsilon will be a time-dependent function at fixed position. The…
We consider a very simple toy model for a spatially varying `cosmological constant', where we are inside a spherical bubble (with a given set of cosmological parameters) that is surrounded by a larger region where these parameters are…