Constraining the variation of fundamental constants using 18cm OH lines

Details Constraining the variation of fundamental constants using 18cm OH lines Constraining the variation of fundamental constants using 18cm OH lines

2003-10-27

arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0310764v1

Phys.Rev.Lett.91:241302,2003

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

5 pages, no figures. Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. Lett

Scientific paper

10.1103/PhysRevLett.91.241302

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 conjunction with one additional transition (for example, an HCO$^+$ line), it is possible to simultaneously measure changes in $\alpha$, $g_p$ and $y \equiv m_e/m_p$. At present, only the 1665 MHz and 1667 MHz lines have been detected at cosmological distances; we use these line redshifts in conjunction with those of HI 21cm and mm-wave molecular absorption in a gravitational lens at $z\sim 0.68$ to constrain changes in the above three parameters over the redshift range $0 < z \lesssim 0.68$. While the constraints are relatively weak ($\lesssim$ 1 part in $10^3$), this is the first simultaneous constraint on the variation of all three parameters. We also demonstrate that either one (or more) of $\alpha$, $g_p$ and $y$ must vary with cosmological time or there must be systematic velocity offsets between the OH, HCO$^+$ and HI absorbing clouds.

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