16 research outputs found
Neutron Moderation in the Oklo Natural Reactor and the Time Variation of alpha
In the analysis of the Oklo (gabon) natural reactor to test for a possible
time variation of the fine structure constant alpha, a Maxwell-Boltzmann low
energy neutron spectrum was assumed. We present here an analysis where a more
realistic spectrum is employed and show that the most recent isotopic analysis
of samples implies a non-zero change in alpha, over the last two billion years
since the reactor was operating, of \Delta\alpha/\alpha\geq 4.5\times 10^{-8}
(6\sigma confidence). Issues regarding the interpretation of the shifts of the
low energy neutron resonances are discussed.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures; version 2 included reference to Flambaum/Shuryak
work and corrects error in abstract version three corrects a few points and
adds discussion on hydrogen and impurity concentration
Towards a sensitive search for variation of the fine structure constant using radio-frequency E1 transitions in atomic dysprosium
It has been proposed that the radio-frequency electric-dipole (E1) transition
between two nearly degenerate opposite-parity states in atomic dysprosium
should be highly sensitive to possible temporal variation of the fine structure
constant () [V. A. Dzuba, V. V. Flambaum, and J. K. Webb, Phys. Rev. A
{\bf 59}, 230 (1999)]. We analyze here an experimental realization of the
proposed search in progress in our laboratory, which involves monitoring the E1
transition frequency over a period of time using direct frequency counting
techniques. We estimate that a statistical sensitivity of |\adota| \sim
10^{-18}/yr may be achieved and discuss possible systematic effects that may
limit such a measurement.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figure
Scalar-Tensor Gravity and Quintessence
Scalar fields with inverse power-law effective potentials may provide a
negative pressure component to the energy density of the universe today, as
required by cosmological observations. In order to be cosmologically relevant
today, the scalar field should have a mass
, thus potentially inducing sizable
violations of the equivalence principle and space-time variations of the
coupling constants. Scalar-tensor theories of gravity provide a framework for
accommodating phenomenologically acceptable ultra-light scalar fields. We
discuss non-minimally coupled scalar-tensor theories in which the scalar-matter
coupling is a dynamical quantity. Two attractor mechanisms are operative at the
same time: one towards the tracker solution, which accounts for the accelerated
expansion of the Universe, and one towards general relativity, which makes the
ultra-light scalar field phenomenologically safe today. As in usual
tracker-field models, the late-time behavior is largely independent on the
initial conditions. Strong distortions in the cosmic microwave background
anisotropy spectra as well as in the matter power spectrum are expected.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
Limits on Cosmological Variation of Strong Interaction and Quark Masses from Big Bang Nucleosynthesis, Cosmic, Laboratory and Oklo Data
Recent data on cosmological variation of the electromagnetic fine structure
constant from distant quasar (QSO) absorption spectra have inspired a more
general discussion of possible variation of other constants. We discuss
variation of strong scale and quark masses. We derive the limits on their
relative change from (i) primordial Big-Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN); (ii)
Oklo natural nuclear reactor, (iii) quasar absorption spectra, and (iv)
laboratory measurements of hyperfine intervals.Comment: 10 pages 2 figurs: second version have several references added and
some new comment
Quintessence and variation of the fine structure constant in the CMBR
We study dependence of the CMB temperature anisotropy spectrum on the value
of the fine structure constant and the equation of state of the dark
energy component of the total density of the universe. We find that bounds
imposed on the variation of from the analysis of currently available
CMB data sets can be significantly relaxed if one also allows for a change in
the equation of state.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures. Several references added and a few minor typos
corrected in the revised versio
The Equivalence Principle and the Constants of Nature
We briefly review the various contexts within which one might address the
issue of ``why'' the dimensionless constants of Nature have the particular
values that they are observed to have. Both the general historical trend, in
physics, of replacing a-priori-given, absolute structures by dynamical
entities, and anthropic considerations, suggest that coupling ``constants''
have a dynamical nature. This hints at the existence of observable violations
of the Equivalence Principle at some level, and motivates the need for improved
tests of the Equivalence Principle.Comment: 12 pages; invited talk at the ISSI Workshop on the Nature of Gravity:
Confronting Theory and Experiment in Space, Bern, Switzerland, 6-10 October
2008; to appear in Space Science Review
Charge conservation and time-varying speed of light
It has been recently claimed that cosmologies with time dependent speed of
light might solve some of the problems of the standard cosmological scenario,
as well as inflationary scenarios. In this letter we show that most of these
models, when analyzed in a consistent way, lead to large violations of charge
conservation. Thus, they are severly constrained by experiment, including those
where is a power of the scale factor and those whose source term is the
trace of the energy-momentum tensor. In addition, early Universe scenarios with
a sudden change of related to baryogenesis are discarded.Comment: 4 page
Cosmological Variation of the Fine Structure Constant from an Ultra-Light Scalar Field: The Effects of Mass
Cosmological variation of the fine structure constant due to the
evolution of a spatially homogeneous ultra-light scalar field ()
during the matter and dominated eras is analyzed. Agreement of
with the value suggested by recent observations of
quasar absorption lines is obtained by adjusting a single parameter, the
coupling of the scalar field to matter.
Asymptotically in this model goes to a constant value
in the early radiation and the late
dominated eras. The coupling of the scalar field to (nonrelativistic) matter
drives slightly away from in the epochs when the
density of matter is important.
Simultaneous agreement with the more restrictive bounds on the variation
from the Oklo natural fission reactor and from
meteorite samples can be achieved if the mass of the scalar field is on the
order of 0.5--0.6 , where .
Depending on the scalar field mass, may be slightly smaller or
larger than at the times of big bang nucleosynthesis, the emission
of the cosmic microwave background, the formation of early solar system
meteorites, and the Oklo reactor. The effects on the evolution of due
to nonzero mass for the scalar field are emphasized.
An order of magnitude improvement in the laboratory technique could lead to a
detection of .Comment: 22 pages, 15 figures Version 2: The Oklo event is now considered as
localized in time. The initial conditions for the scalar field have been
refined. The numbers in the Table have been recomputed. Added Ref
Constraints on the Variations of the Fundamental Couplings
We reconsider several current bounds on the variation of the fine-structure
constant in models where all gauge and Yukawa couplings vary in an
interdependent manner, as would be expected in unified theories. In particular,
we re-examine the bounds established by the Oklo reactor from the resonant
neutron capture cross-section of 149Sm. By imposing variations in \Lambda_{QCD}
and the quark masses, as dictated by unified theories, the corresponding bound
on the variation of the fine-structure constant can be improved by about 2
orders of magnitude in such theories. In addition, we consider possible bounds
on variations due to their effect on long lived \alpha- and \beta-decay
isotopes, particularly 147Sm and 187Re. We obtain a strong constraint on \Delta
\alpha / \alpha, comparable to that of Oklo but extending to a higher redshift
corresponding to the age of the solar system, from the radioactive life-time of
187Re derived from meteoritic studies. We also analyze the astrophysical
consequences of perturbing the decay Q values on bound state \beta-decays
operating in the s-process.Comment: 25 pages, latex, 5 eps figure
Further evidence for a variable fine-structure constant from Keck/HIRES QSO absorption spectra
[Abridged] We previously presented evidence for a varying fine-structure
constant, alpha, in two independent samples of Keck/HIRES QSO spectra. Here we
present a detailed many-multiplet analysis of a third Keck/HIRES sample
containing 78 absorption systems. We also re-analyse the previous samples,
providing a total of 128 absorption systems over the redshift range
0.2<z_abs<3.7. All three samples separately yield consistent, significant
values of da/a. The analyses of low- and high-z systems rely on different
ions/transitions with very different dependencies on alpha, yet they also give
consistent results. We identify additional random errors in 22 high-z systems
characterized by transitions with a large dynamic range in apparent optical
depth. Increasing the statistical errors on da/a for these systems gives our
fiducial result, a weighted mean da/a=(-0.543+/-0.116)x10^-5, representing
4.7-sigma evidence for a smaller weighted mean alpha in the absorption clouds.
Assuming that da/a=0 at z_abs=0, the data marginally prefer a linear increase
in alpha with time: dota/a=(6.40+/-1.35)x10^-16 yr^-1. The two-point
correlation function for alpha is consistent with zero over 0.2-13 Gpc comoving
scales and the angular distribution of da/a shows no significant dipolar
anisotropy. We therefore have no evidence for spatial variations in da/a. We
extend our previous searches for possible systematic errors, identifying
atmospheric dispersion and isotopic structure effects as potentially the most
significant. However, overall, known systematic errors do not explain the
results. Future many-multiplet analyses of QSO spectra from different
telescopes and spectrographs will provide a now crucial check on our Keck/HIRES
results.Comment: 31 pages, 25 figures (29 EPS files), 8 tables. Accepted by MNRAS.
Colour versions of Figs. 6, 8 & 10 and text version of Table 3 available at
http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/~mim/pub.htm