Cosmological Evolution of Fundamental Constants: From Theory to Experiment

Abstract

In this paper we discuss a possible cosmological time evolution of fundamental constants from the theoretical and experimental point of views. On the theoretical side, we explain that such a cosmological time evolution is actually something very natural which can be described by mechanisms similar to those used to explain cosmic inflation. We then discuss implications for grand unified theories, showing that the unification condition of the gauge coupling could evolve with cosmological time. Measurements of the electron-to-proton mass ratio can test grand unified theories using low energy data. Following the theoretical discussion, we review the current status of precision measurements of fundamental constants and their potential cosmological time dependence.

Invited paper to the Special Issue: "Fundamental Constants in Physics and Their Time Variation" (Modern Physics Letters A, Guest Ed. Joan Solà)

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Cited by in corpus (8)

• Measuring the stability of fundamental constants with a network of clocks
• Cosmological constant vis-a-vis dynamical vacuum: bold challenging the $\Lambda$CDM
• Fundamental constants and cosmic vacuum: the micro and macro connection
• Fundamental Constants in Physics and Their Time Variation
• Cosmological Evolution of the Higgs Boson's Vacuum Expectation Value
• Cosmic Variation of Proton to Electron Mass Ratio with an interacting Higgs Scalar Field
• Astro2020 Project White Paper: The Cosmic Accelerometer
• QSNET, a network of clocks for measuring the stability of fundamental constants