A new constraint on cosmological variability of the proton-to-electron mass ratio

被引:42
作者
Levshakov, SA [1 ]
Dessauges-Zavadsky, M
D'Odorico, S
Molaro, P
机构
[1] Natl Astron Observ, Div Theoret Astrophys, Tokyo 1818588, Japan
[2] European So Observ, D-85748 Garching, Germany
[3] Osserv Astron Trieste, I-34131 Trieste, Italy
[4] Observ Geneva, CH-1290 Sauverny, Switzerland
关键词
elementary particles; quasars : absorption lines; quasars : individual : Q0347-3819; cosmology : observations;
D O I
10.1046/j.1365-8711.2002.05408.x
中图分类号
P1 [天文学];
学科分类号
0704 ;
摘要
Exotic cosmologies predict the variability of the fundamental physical constants over the cosmic time. Using the Very Large Telescope/Ultraviolet-Visual Echelle Spectrograph (VLT/UVES) high-resolution spectra of the quasar Q0347-3819 and unblended electronic-vibrational-rotational lines of the H-2 molecule identified at z(abs) = 3.025 we test possible changes in the proton-to-electron mass ratio mu(0) = m(p)/m(e) over the period of similar to11 Gyr. We obtained a new constraint on the time-averaged variation rate of mu(0) of \(mu) over dot/mu(0)\ < 5x10(-15) yr(-1) (1 sigma confidence level). The estimated 1 sigma uncertainty interval of the \Delta mu/mu(0)\ ratio of about 0.004 per cent implies that since the time when the H-2 spectrum was formed at z(abs) = 3.025, mu(0) has not changed by more than a few thousandths of a per cent.
引用
收藏
页码:373 / 377
页数:5
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