Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
Apr 1994
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1994a%26as..104...89p&link_type=abstract
Astronomy and Astrophysics Suppl. 104, 89-98 (1994)
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
22
Quasars: General, Catalogues, Cosmology, Quasars: Absorption Lines
Scientific paper
A statistical analysis of fine splitting of C IV, N V, O VI, Mg II, Al III and Si IV doublet absorption lines in quasar spectra is carried out in order to estimate a possible time variation of the fine-structure constant α= e^2^ (h/2π)c over cosmological time scales t~10^10^yr. The observational basis of the analysis is a catalogue of 1414 pairs of wavelengths with redshifts z = 0.2 - 3.7, compiled from data published in 1980-1992. Robust statistical estimates like the "trimmed mean" are used as well as the least squares. No statistically significant time variation of α is found. The estimate α^-1^dα/dz = (-0.6+/-2.8)10^-4^ is obtained. For the 95% significance level, an upper bound on the rate of a relative variation of the fine-structure constant is |α^-1^dα/dz| < 5.6x10^-4^, which corresponds approximately to |α^-1^dα/dt| < 4x10^-14^ yr^-1^. This limit represents the strongest up-to-date restriction on the possible time variation of α for the epoch 0.2 <= z <~ 4.
Potekhin Alexander Y.
Varshalovich Dmitry A.
No associations
LandOfFree
Non-variability of the fine-structure constant over cosmological time scales does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with Non-variability of the fine-structure constant over cosmological time scales, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Non-variability of the fine-structure constant over cosmological time scales will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1254628