Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
2002-09-24
eConf C020620:FRAT02,2002
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
Invited review at the XXII Physics in Collision Conference (PIC02), Stanford, CA, USA, June 2002, 11 pages, LaTeX, 7 eps figur
Scientific paper
We present a short review of the current quasar (QSO) absorption line constraints on possible variation of the fine structure constant, alpha = e^2/(hbar*c). Particular attention is paid to recent optical Keck/HIRES spectra of 49 absorption systems which indicate a smaller alpha in the past (Murphy et al. 2001, Webb et al. 2001). Here we present new preliminary results from 128 absorption systems: da/a = (-0.57 +/- 0.10) x 10^{-5} over the redshift range 0.2 < z < 3.7, in agreement with the previous results. Known potential systematic errors cannot explain these results. We compare them with strong `local' constraints and discuss other (radio and millimetre-wave) QSO absorption line constraints on variations in alpha^2 * g_p and alpha^2 * g_p * m_e/m_p (g_p is the proton g-factor and m_e/m_p is the electron/proton mass ratio). Finally, we discuss future efforts to rule out or confirm the current 5.7 sigma optical detection.
Curran Stephen J.
Flambaum Victor V.
Murphy Michael T.
Webb John K.
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