Fundamental constants and their variability in theories of High Energy Physics

Abstract

The Standard Model of particle physics and the theory of General Relativity (GR) currently provide a good description of almost all phenomena of particle physics and gravitation that have received controlled experimental tests. However, the Standard Model contains many a priori variable parameters whose values, and whose apparent (near-)constancy, have yet to receive a convincing theoretical explanation. At the same time, GR may now require to be extended or altered at the largest length scales, to account for the recent apparent accelerated cosmological expansion. In this introductory review I present theoretical aspects of the search for explanations of the values and possible variations of fundamental ``constants'', focusing on the possibility of unification of interactions. I also relate cosmological variations to modifications of gravity both locally and cosmologically.

arXiv comment17 pages pdflatex, proceedings of introductory lecture for ACFC Seminar, Bad Honnef 2007, to be published in EPJ Special Topics

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• Fundamental Constant Observational Bounds on the Variability of the QCD Scale
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• Impact of the matter density uncertainty on the dark energy reconstruction
• The Relation Between Fundamental Constants and Particle Physics Parameters