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Related papers: Extra Dimensions and Varying Alpha

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We study constraints on time variation of the fine structure constant alpha from cosmic microwave background (CMB) taking into account simultaneous change in alpha and the electron mass m_e which might be implied in unification theories. We…

Astrophysics · Physics 2008-11-26 Kazuhide Ichikawa , Toru Kanzaki , Masahiro Kawasaki

We study the space-time evolution of the fine structure constant, $\alpha$, inside evolving spherical overdensities in a lambda-CDM Friedmann universe using the spherical infall model. We show that its value inside virialised regions will…

Astrophysics · Physics 2011-05-05 D. F. Mota , J. D. Barrow

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…

Atomic Physics · Physics 2011-02-02 J. C. Berengut , V. V. Flambaum

We discuss how laboratory experiments can be used to place constraints on possible variations of the fine structure constant alpha in the observationally relevant redshift interval z ~= 0 - 5, within a rather general theoretical framework.…

Astrophysics · Physics 2009-10-30 Mario Livio , Massimo Stiavelli

We investigate constraints on the time variation of the fine structure constant between the recombination epoch and the present epoch, \Delta\alpha/\alpha \equiv (\alpha_{rec} - \alpha_{now})/\alpha_{now}, from cosmic microwave background…

Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics · Physics 2014-11-20 Masahiro Nakashima , Kazuhide Ichikawa , Ryo Nagata , Jun'ichi Yokoyama

The fine-structure constant alpha does not vary as Friedmann Universes evolve, a conclusion based on assessments of quantum mechanics and electrodynamics. alpha = e^2/(4pi epsilon hbar c), where e is the charge of the electron, epsilon is…

Astrophysics · Physics 2007-05-23 William Q. Sumner

The formation of the cosmic microwave background radiation (CMBR) provides a very powerful probe of the early universe at the epoch of recombination. Specifically, it is possible to constrain the variation of fundamental physical constants…

Astrophysics · Physics 2009-10-31 Steen Hannestad

We derive the formulae for the time variation of the gravitational "constant" G and of the fine structure "constant" \alpha in various models with extra dimensions and analyze their consistency with the available observational data for…

Astrophysics · Physics 2009-11-10 P. Loren-Aguilar , E. Garcia-Berro , J. Isern , Yu. A. Kubyshin

We present up-to-date constraints on the value of the fine-structure constant at the epoch of decoupling from the recent observations made by the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) satellite. In the framework of models we…

Astrophysics · Physics 2008-11-26 C. J. A. P. Martins , A. Melchiorri , G. Rocha , R. Trotta , P. P. Avelino , P. Viana

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…

Astrophysics · Physics 2011-05-23 A. V. Ivanchik , A. Y. Potekhin , D. A. Varshalovich

We introduce a model which allows the fine structure constant (alpha) to vary throughout space and time due to a coupling to a scalar field with a non-canonical kinetic structure. This provided a new extension of the…

General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology · Physics 2015-01-20 Alexander A. H. Graham

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…

We use the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) anisotropy data from Planck to constrain the spatial fluctuations of the fine-structure constant \alpha. Through Thompson scattering of CMB photons, spatial anisotropies of \alpha lead to…

Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics · Physics 2013-06-07 Jon O'Bryan , Joseph Smidt , Francesco De Bernardis , Asantha Cooray

We study the role of fundamental constants in an updated recombination scenario. We focus on the time variation of the fine structure constant, and the electron mass in the early Universe, and put bounds on these quantities by using data…

Astrophysics · Physics 2008-10-31 Claudia G. Scóccola , Susana. J. Landau , Hector Vucetich

Evidence that the fine structure constant, alpha, was different in an early epoch has recently been found in quasar (QSO) absorption spectra. An accurate laboratory measurement of alpha variation could help to distinguish between space and…

Atomic Physics · Physics 2016-09-08 E. J. Angstmann , V. A. Dzuba , V. V. Flambaum

We study the time variation of fundamental constants in the early Universe. Using data from primordial light nuclei abundances, CMB and the 2dFGRS power spectrum, we put constraints on the time variation of the fine structure constant…

Astrophysical observations suggest that the fine structure constant (alpha) may (or may not) be evolving over the cosmological time scale. This raises a much debated question: is alpha variation due to the variation of the speed of light…

High Energy Physics - Phenomenology · Physics 2007-05-23 A. Yu. Ignatiev , B. J. Carson

Recent theoretical ideas and observational claims suggest that the fine structure constant alpha may be variable. We examine a spectrum of models in which alpha is a function of a scalar field. Specifically, we consider three scenarios:…

High Energy Physics - Phenomenology · Physics 2009-11-10 Charles L. Steinhardt

In the present work, we consider the cosmological constant model $\Lambda\propto\alpha^{-6}$, which is well motivated from three independent approaches. As is well known, the hint of varying fine structure constant $\alpha$ was found in…

General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology · Physics 2017-01-10 Hao Wei , Xiao-Bo Zou , Hong-Yu Li , Dong-Ze Xue

We study the $\Lambda(\alpha)$CDM models with $\Lambda(\alpha)$ being a function of the time-varying fine structure constant $\alpha$. We give a close look at the constraints on two specific $\Lambda(\alpha)$CDM models with one and two…

Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics · Physics 2018-09-13 Jin-Jun Zhang , Lu Yin , Chao-Qiang Geng