13 research outputs found
Isotopic variation of parity violation in atomic ytterbium
We report on measurements of atomic parity violation, made on a chain of
ytterbium isotopes with mass numbers A=170, 172, 174, and 176. In the
experiment, we optically excite the 6s2 1S0 -> 5d6s 3D1 transition in a region
of crossed electric and magnetic fields, and observe the interference between
the Stark- and weak-interaction-induced transition amplitudes, by making field
reversals that change the handedness of the coordinate system. This allows us
to determine the ratio of the weak-interaction-induced electric-dipole (E1)
transition moment and the Stark-induced E1 moment. Our measurements, which are
at the 0.5% level of accuracy for three of the four isotopes measured, allow a
definitive observation of the isotopic variation of the weak-interaction
effects in an atom, which is found to be consistent with the prediction of the
Standard Model. In addition, our measurements provide information about an
additional Z' boson.Comment: 19 pages, 4 figures, 2 table
Atomic transition frequencies, isotope shifts, and sensitivity to variation of the fine structure constant for studies of quasar absorption spectra
Theories unifying gravity with other interactions suggest spatial and
temporal variation of fundamental "constants" in the Universe. A change in the
fine structure constant, alpha, could be detected via shifts in the frequencies
of atomic transitions in quasar absorption systems. Recent studies using 140
absorption systems from the Keck telescope and 153 from the Very Large
Telescope, suggest that alpha varies spatially. That is, in one direction on
the sky alpha seems to have been smaller at the time of absorption, while in
the opposite direction it seems to have been larger.
To continue this study we need accurate laboratory measurements of atomic
transition frequencies. The aim of this paper is to provide a compilation of
transitions of importance to the search for alpha variation. They are E1
transitions to the ground state in several different atoms and ions, with
wavelengths ranging from around 900 - 6000 A, and require an accuracy of better
than 10^{-4} A. We discuss isotope shift measurements that are needed in order
to resolve systematic effects in the study. The coefficients of sensitivity to
alpha-variation (q) are also presented.Comment: Includes updated version of the "alpha line" lis
Varying constants, Gravitation and Cosmology
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 fall. It is thus of utmost importance for our understanding of gravity
and of the domain of validity of general relativity to test for their
constancy. We thus detail the relations between the constants, the tests of the
local position invariance and of the universality of free fall. We then review
the main experimental and observational constraints that have been obtained
from atomic clocks, the Oklo phenomenon, Solar system observations, meteorites
dating, quasar absorption spectra, stellar physics, pulsar timing, the cosmic
microwave background and big bang nucleosynthesis. At each step we describe the
basics of each system, its dependence with respect to the constants, the known
systematic effects and the most recent constraints that have been obtained. We
then describe the main theoretical frameworks in which the low-energy constants
may actually be varying and we focus on the unification mechanisms and the
relations between the variation of different constants. To finish, we discuss
the more speculative possibility of understanding their numerical values and
the apparent fine-tuning that they confront us with.Comment: 145 pages, 10 figures, Review for Living Reviews in Relativit
Probing Sizes and Shapes of Nobelium Isotopes by Laser Spectroscopy
Until recently, ground-state nuclear moments of the heaviest nuclei could only be inferred from nuclear spectroscopy, where model assumptions are required. Laser spectroscopy in combination with modern atomic structure calculations is now able to probe these moments directly, in a comprehensive and nuclear-model-independent way. Here we report on unique access to the differential mean-square charge radii of 252, 253, 254No, and therefore to changes in nuclear size and shape. State-of-the-art nuclear density functional calculations describe well the changes in nuclear charge radii in the region of the heavy actinides, indicating an appreciable central depression in the deformed proton density distribution in 252, 254No isotopes. Finally, the hyperfine splitting of 253No was evaluated, enabling a complementary measure of its (quadrupole) deformation, as well as an insight into the neutron single-particle wave function via the nuclear spin and magnetic moment
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Strongly enhanced effects of Lorentz symmetry violation in entangled Yb+ ions
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