Atomic calculations and search for variation of the fine structure constant in quasar absorption spectra

Abstract

A brief review of the search for variation of the fine structure constant in quasar absorption spectra is presented. Special consideration is given to the role of atomic calculations in the analysis of the observed data. A range of methods which allow to perform calculations for atoms or ions with different electron structure and which cover practically all periodic table of elements is discussed. Critical compilation of the results of the calculations as well as a review of the most recent results of the analysis are presented.

9 pages, 2 figures. Based on the talk at the Symposium on Atomic Physics: A Tribute to Walter Johnson, Notre Dame, 5 April 2008. Reference 26 is corrected

References in corpus (21)

• Further evidence for a variable fine-structure constant from Keck/HIRES QSO absorption spectra
• Limits on the time variation of the electromagnetic fine-structure constant in the low energy limit from absorption lines in the spectra of distant quasars
• The radiative potential method for calculations of QED radiative corrections to energy levels and electromagnetic amplitudes in many-electron atoms
• Enhanced sensitivity to time-variation of m_p/m_e in the inversion spectrum of ammonia
• Revision of VLT/UVES constraints on a varying fine-structure constant
• Comment on "Limits on the Time Variation of the Electromagnetic Fine-Structure Constant in the Low Energy Limit from Absorption Lines in the Spectra of Distant Quasars"
• Most precise single redshift bound to Delta alpha/alpha
• On the use of the $V^{N-M}$ approximation in atomic calculations
• VLT/UVES constraints on the cosmological variability of the fine-structure constant
• Calculation of isotope shifts and relativistic shifts in CI, CII, CIII and CIV
• Does the fine structure constant vary? A third quasar absorption sample consistent with varying alpha
• Variation of fundamental constants: theory and observations
• Does the fine structure constant vary? A detailed investigation into systematic effects
• Improved calculation of relativistic shift and isotope shift in Mg I
• Core-valence correlations for atoms with open shells
• Relativistic corrections to transition frequencies of Fe I and search for variation of the fine structure constant
• Transition frequency shifts with fine structure constant variation for Fe II: Breit and core-valence correlation correction
• The alpha-dependence of transition frequencies for some ions of Ti, Mn, Na, C, and O, and the search for variation of the fine structure constant
• Coupled-cluster single-double calculations of the relativistic energy shifts in C IV, Na I, Mg II, Al III, Si IV, Ca II and Zn II
• Fine Structure Anomalies and Search for Variation of the Fine Structure Constant in Laboratory Experiments
• Relativistic energy shifts in Ge II, Sn II and Pb II and search for cosmological variation of the fine structure constant

Cited by in corpus (16)

• Highly charged ions: optical clocks and applications in fundamental physics
• High-accuracy optical clock based on the octupole transition in 171Yb+
• High accuracy correction of blackbody radiation shift in an optical lattice clock
• Search for variation of the fundamental constants in atomic, molecular and nuclear spectra
• Wavelength Accuracy of the Keck HIRES Spectrograph and Measuring Changes in the Fine Structure Constant
• Highly charged ions with E1, M1, and E2 transitions within laser range
• The sensitivity of hyperfine structure to nuclear radius and quark mass variation
• A new era of fine structure constant measurements at high redshift
• Combination of the single-double coupled cluster and the configuration interaction methods; application to barium, lutetium and their ions
• Accurate prediction of clock transitions in a highly charged ion with complex electronic structure
• All-order calculations of the spectra of Ba II, Ra II, Fr I and superheavy elements E119 I and E120 II
• Electron structure of superheavy elements Uut, Fl and Uup ($Z$=113 to 115)
• Relativistic frequency shifts in Cr, Ti, Fe, Ni, Ca, Na, and V to search for variation in the fine structure constant
• Sensitivity of the energy levels of singly ionized cobalt to the variation of the fine structure constant
• Constraints on the Variation of the QCD Interaction Scale ${\Lambda }_{\text{QCD}}$
• Prospects for optical clocks combining high sensitivity to new physics with insensitivity to perturbations; the case of Sb${}^{+}$, Au${}^{+}$, and Hg${}^{2+}$