The Value of the Fine Structure Constant Over Cosmological Times

Gutiérrez, C. M.; López-Corredoira, M.
Referencia bibliográfica

From Varying Couplings to Fundamental Physics, Astrophysics and Space Science Proceedings, ISBN 978-3-642-19396-5. Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, 2011, p. 69

Fecha de publicación:
2011
Número de autores
2
Número de autores del IAC
2
Número de citas
0
Número de citas referidas
0
Descripción
The optical spectra of objects classified as QSOs in the SDSS DR6 are analyzed with the aim of determining the value of the fine structure constant in the past and then check for possible changes in the constant over cosmological timescales. The analysis is done by measuring the position of the fine structure lines of the [OIII] doublet (λλ4959 and λλ5008) in QSO nebular emission. From the sample of QSOs at redshifts z < 0. 8 a sub sample was selected on the basis of the amplitude and width of the [OIII] lines. Two different method were used to determine the position of the lines of the [OIII] doublet, both giving similar results. Using a clean sample containing 1568 of such spectra, a value of Δ α /α = (+2.4 ± 2.5) × 1{0}^{-5} (in the range of redshifts z ˜ 0 - 0. 8) was determined. The use of a larger number of spectra allows a factor ˜ 5 improvement on previous constraints based on the same method. On the whole, we find no evidence of changes in α on such cosmological timescales. The mean variation compatible with our results is 1/ < t >Δ α /α = (+0.7 ± 0.7) × 1{0}^{-14} yr - 1.