Constraint on a cosmological variation in the proton-to-electron mass ratio from electronic CO absorption

Abstract

Carbon monoxide (CO) absorption in the sub-damped Lyman-$\alpha$ absorber at redshift $z_{abs}\simeq 2.69$, toward the background quasar SDSS J123714.60+064759.5 (J1237+0647), was investigated for the first time in order to search for a possible variation of the proton-to-electron mass ratio, $\mu$, over a cosmological time-scale. The observations were performed with the Very Large Telescope/Ultraviolet and Visual Echelle Spectrograph with a signal-to-noise ratio of 40 per 2.5 kms${}^{-1}$ per pixel at $\sim 5000$ Å. Thirteen CO vibrational bands in this absorber are detected: the A${}^1\Pi$ - X${}^1{\Sigma }^{+}$ (${\nu }^{\prime }$,0) for ${\nu }^{\prime }=0-8$, B${}^1{\Sigma }^{+}$ - X${}^1{\Sigma }^{+}$ (0,0), C${}^1{\Sigma }^{+}$ - X${}^1{\Sigma }^{+}$ (0,0), and E${}^1\Pi$ - X${}^1{\Sigma }^{+}$ (0,0) singlet-singlet bands and the d${}^3\Delta$ - X${}^1{\Sigma }^{+}$ (5,0) singlet-triplet band. An updated database including the most precise molecular inputs needed for a $\mu$-variation analysis is presented for rotational levels $J=0-5$, consisting of transition wavelengths, oscillator strengths, natural lifetime damping parameters, and sensitivity coefficients to a variation of the proton-to-electron mass ratio. A comprehensive fitting method was used to fit all the CO bands at once and an independent constraint of $\Delta \mu /\mu =(0.7\pm 1.6_{stat}\pm 0.5_{syst})\times 10^{-5}$ was derived from CO only. A combined analysis using both molecular hydrogen and CO in the same J1237+0647 absorber returned a final constraint on the relative variation of $\Delta \mu /\mu =(-5.6\pm 5.6_{stat}\pm 3.1_{syst})\times 10^{-6}$, which is consistent with no variation over a look-back time of $\sim 11.4$ Gyrs.

44 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal

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