Constraining the Variation of the Fine Structure Constant with Observations of Narrow Quasar Absorption Lines

Abstract

Attempts to measure the variability of the fine structure constant alpha over cosmological time, using spectra of high redshift quasars have produced conflicting results. We use the Many Multiplet (MM) method with Mg II and Fe II lines on very high signal-to-noise, high resolution (R = 72,000) Keck HIRES spectra of eight narrow quasar absorption systems and consider both systematic uncertainties in spectrograph wavelength calibration and also velocity offsets introduced by internal velocity structure. We find no significant change in alpha, Delta(alpha)/alpha =(0.43 +/- 0.34)x 10^(-5), in the redshift range z = 0.7 - 1.5 (statistical and systematic). Scatter in measurements of Delta(alpha)/alpha arising from absorption line structure can be considerably larger than assigned statistical errors even for apparently simple and narrow absorption systems. We find a null result of Delta(alpha)/alpha = (-0.59 +/- 0.55) x 10^(-5) in a system at z = 1.7382 using Cr II, Zn II and Mn II, whereas using Cr II and Zn II in a system at z = 1.6614 we find a systematic velocity trend which, interpreted as a shift in alpha, would imply Delta(alpha)/alpha = (1.88 +/- 0.47) x 10^(-5) (statistical plus systematic). This latter result is almost certainly caused by varying ionic abundances in subcomponents of the line. We conclude that spectroscopic measurements of quasar absorption lines are not yet capable of unambiguously detecting variation in alpha using the MM method.

arXiv commentAccepted for publication in ApJ. 12 pages, 13 figures. Results recomputed using the data compilation of Murphy & Berengut (2014). Small numerical changes from v.1 in the results for Delta(alpha)/alpha, but no change in the conclusions

References in corpus (40)

• Further evidence for a variable fine-structure constant from Keck/HIRES QSO absorption spectra
• Spatial variation in the fine-structure constant -- new results from VLT/UVES
• Probing the cosmological variation of the fine-structure constant: Results based on VLT-UVES sample
• Astrophysical Limits on the Evolution of Dimensionless Physical Constants over Cosmological Time
• Further constraints on variation of the fine structure constant from alkali doublet QSO absorption lines
• The UVES Large Program for Testing Fundamental Physics: I Bounds on a change in alpha towards quasar HE 2217-2818
• The UVES Large Program for Testing Fundamental Physics II: Constraints on a Change in μ Towards Quasar HE 0027-1836
• Constraining changes in the proton-electron mass ratio with inversion and rotational lines
• Revision of VLT/UVES constraints on a varying fine-structure constant
• Precision Spectroscopy of Atomic Hydrogen and Variations of Fundamental Constants
• Cold Atom Clocks, Precision Oscillators and Fundamental Tests
• Millisecond Pulsars as Tools of Fundamental Physics
• Astrophysical constraints on hypothetical variability of fundamental constants
• Oklo Constraint on the Time-Variability of the Fine-Structure Constant
• 35 Years of Testing Relativistic Gravity: Where do we go from here?
• Fundamental units: physics and metrology
• Robust Constraint on a Drifting Proton-to-Electron Mass Ratio at z=0.89 from Methanol Observation at Three Radio Telescopes
• On the variation of the fine-structure constant: Very high resolution spectrum of QSO HE 0515-4414
• Wavelength Accuracy of the Keck HIRES Spectrograph and Measuring Changes in the Fine Structure Constant
• The Properties of Intergalactic C IV and Si IV Absorption, I: Optimal Analysis of an Extremely High S/N Quasar Sample
• Does the fine-structure constant vary with cosmological epoch?
• Selection of ThAr lines for wavelength calibration of echelle spectra and implications for variations in the fine-structure constant
• First measurement of Mg isotope abundances at high redshifts and accurate estimate of Delta alpha/alpha
• Most precise single redshift bound to Delta alpha/alpha
• The $\alpha$-dependence of transition frequencies for ions Si II, Cr II, Fe II, Ni II, and Zn II
• Wavelength Calibration of the VLT-UVES Spectrograph
• Metal abundances and ionization conditions in a possibly dust-free damped Ly-alpha system at z=2.3
• Probing the time-variation of the fine-structure constant: Results based on Si IV doublets from a UVES sample
• Does the fine structure constant vary? A third quasar absorption sample consistent with varying alpha
• Astronomical Constraints on the Cosmic Evolution of the Fine Structure Constant and Possible Quantum Dimensions
• Constraining fundamental constant evolution with HI and OH lines
• Does the fine structure constant vary? A detailed investigation into systematic effects
• Laboratory atomic transition data for precise optical quasar absorption spectroscopy
• An upper limit to the variation in the fundamental constants at redshift z = 5.2
• The Chemical Uniformity of High z DLA Protogalaxies
• Probing fundamental constant evolution with neutral atomic gas lines
• 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
• Relative abundance pattern along the profile of high redshift Damped Lyman-alpha systems
• Fundamental constants and high resolution spectroscopy
• Alternative Data Reduction Procedures for UVES: Wavelength Calibration and Spectrum Addition

Cited by in corpus (32)

• Teleparallel Gravity: From Theory to Cosmology
• The status of varying constants: a review of the physics, searches and implications
• Observational Constraints on $f(T)$ gravity from varying fundamental constants
• Subaru Telescope limits on cosmological variations in the fine-structure constant
• Running vacuum in the Universe and the time variation of the fundamental constants of Nature
• Evolution of the fine-structure constant in runaway dilaton models
• Precise limits on cosmological variability of the fine-structure constant with zinc and chromium quasar absorption lines
• Stability of fundamental couplings: a global analysis
• Testing the violation of the equivalence principle in the electromagnetic sector and its consequences in $f(T)$ gravity
• The variation of the fine-structure constant from disformal couplings
• Updated constraints on spatial variations of the fine-structure constant
• Variation in the fine-structure constant, distance-duality relation and the next generation of high-resolution spectrograph
• Fine-structure constant constraints on dark energy
• Fine-structure constant constraints on dark energy: II. Extending the parameter space
• Galaxy clusters, type Ia supernovae and the fine structure constant
• Probing spatial variation of the fine-structure constant using the CMB
• Probing variation of the fine-structure constant in runaway dilaton models using Strong Gravitational Lensing and Type Ia Supernovae
• Dark energy and Equivalence Principle constraints from astrophysical tests of the stability of the fine-structure constant
• Current and future constraints on extended Bekenstein-type models for a varying fine-structure constant
• Further consistency tests of the stability of fundamental couplings
• Current and future constraints on Bekenstein-type models for varying couplings
• Fundamental Physics with ESPRESSO, Constraining a simple parametrisation for varying $\alpha$
• Cosmological and astrophysical constraints on tachyon dark energy models
• Fundamental physics with ESPRESSO: Constraints on Bekenstein and dark energy models from astrophysical and local probes
• Coupling quintessence kinetics to electromagnetism
• Spatial and temporal variations of the fine-structure constant in the Finslerian universe
• Variation of fundamental constants and white dwarfs
• Magnetic contributions in Bekenstein type models
• Constraints on the varying electron mass and early dark energy in light of ACT DR6 and DESI DR2 and the implications for inflation
• Cold, dense atomic ion clouds produced by cryogenic buffer gas cooling
• Sensitivity coefficients to $\alpha$-variation for astrophysically relevant transitions in Ni II
• On Generalized Theories of Varying Fine Structure Constant