Consistency tests of the stability of fundamental couplings and unification scenarios

Abstract

We test the consistency of several independent astrophysical measurements of fundamental dimensionless constants. In particular, we compare direct measurements of the fine-structure constant $\alpha$ and the proton-to-electron mass ratio $\mu =m_p/m_e$ (mostly in the optical/ultraviolet) with combined measurements of $\alpha$, $\mu$ and the proton gyromagnetic ratio $g_p$ (mostly in the radio band). We point out some apparent inconsistencies, which suggest that hidden systematics may be affecting some of the measurements. These findings demonstrate the importance of future more precise measurements with ALMA, ESPRESSO and ELT-HIRES. We also highlight some of the implications of the currently available measurements for fundamental physics, specifically for unification scenarios.

12 pages, 12 figures

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Cited by in corpus (11)

• The status of varying constants: a review of the physics, searches and implications
• Evolution of the fine-structure constant in runaway dilaton models
• A constraint on a varying proton--electron mass ratio 1.5 billion years after the Big Bang
• Stability of fundamental couplings: a global analysis
• Fundamental cosmology in the E-ELT era: The status and future role of tests of fundamental coupling stability
• Dark energy constraints from ESPRESSO tests of the stability of fundamental couplings
• Observables in theories with a varying fine structure constant
• Further consistency tests of the stability of fundamental couplings
• Redshifting of cosmological black bodies in BSBM varying-alpha theories
• Searching for cosmological variation of the proton-to-electron mass ratio using a single $H_2$ system
• On Generalized Theories of Varying Fine Structure Constant