A Simple Varying-alpha Cosmology

Abstract

We investigate the cosmological consequences of a simple theory in which the electric charge $e$ is allowed to vary. The theory is locally gauge and Lorentz invariant, and satisfies general covariance. We find that in this theory the fine structure 'constant', $\alpha$, remains almost constant in the radiation era, undergoes small increase in the matter era, but approaches a constant value when the universe starts accelerating because of the presence of a positive cosmological constant. This model satisfies geonuclear, nucleosynthesis, and CMB constraints on time-variation in $\alpha$, while fitting simultaneously the observed accelerating universe and the recent high-redshift evidence for small $\alpha$ variations in quasar spectra. The model also places specific restrictions on the nature of the dark matter. Further tests, involving stellar spectra and the Eötvös experiment, are proposed.

4 pages, 2 figures, Accepted for publication in Phys.Rev.Lett. Minor sign error corrected. Added references

References in corpus (5)

• Cosmology and the Fate of Dilatation Symmetry
• Further Evidence for Cosmological Evolution of the Fine Structure Constant
• Possible evidence for a variable fine structure constant from QSO absorption lines: motivations, analysis and results
• Possible evidence for a variable fine structure constant from QSO absorption lines: systematic errors
• Nielsen-Olesen vortex in varying-alpha theories

Cited by in corpus (212)

• Dynamics of dark energy
• The fundamental constants and their variation: observational status and theoretical motivations
• Challenges for $\Lambda$CDM: An update
• Varying constants, Gravitation and Cosmology
• Teleparallel Gravity: From Theory to Cosmology
• Primordial Nucleosynthesis: from precision cosmology to fundamental physics
• Violations of the equivalence principle in a dilaton-runaway scenario
• Environmental Dependence of Masses and Coupling Constants
• New varying speed of light theories
• Can dark matter induce cosmological evolution of the fundamental constants of Nature?
• Searching for an oscillating massive scalar field as a dark matter candidate using atomic hyperfine frequency comparisons
• Varying Alpha in a More Realistic Universe
• Evolution of the Fine Structure Constant Driven by Dark Matter and the Cosmological Constant
• Theoretical Aspects of the Equivalence Principle
• The status of varying constants: a review of the physics, searches and implications
• Constraints on the Variations of the Fundamental Couplings
• Local and Global Variations of The Fine Structure Constant
• The Behaviour of Varying-Alpha Cosmologies
• Bouncing Universes with Varying Constants
• $f(T)$ Theories and Varying Fine Structure Constant
• Is there Correlation between Fine Structure and Dark Energy Cosmic Dipoles?
• The Ermakov-Pinney Equation in Scalar Field Cosmologies
• Precision Gravity Tests and the Einstein Equivalence Principle
• Models of quintessence coupled to the electromagnetic field and the cosmological evolution of alpha
• Dependence of nuclear binding on hadronic mass variation
• Detecting Chameleons: The Astronomical Polarization Produced by Chameleon-like Scalar Fields
• Perspective: Tipping the scales - search for drifting constants from molecular spectra
• Probing Quintessence with Time Variation of Couplings
• Fine-structure constant variability, equivalence principle and cosmology
• Reconstructing the dark energy equation of state with varying alpha
• Is it e or is it c? Experimental Tests of Varying Alpha
• Limits on the dependence of the fine-structure constant on gravitational potential from white-dwarf spectra
• A new white dwarf constraint on the rate of change of the gravitational constant
• Breaking of the equivalence principle in the electromagnetic sector and its cosmological signatures
• Observational Constraints on $f(T)$ gravity from varying fundamental constants
• Mapping the Dark Energy with Varying Alpha
• Screening $\Lambda$ in a new modified gravity model
• The $\alpha$-dependence of transition frequencies for ions Si II, Cr II, Fe II, Ni II, and Zn II
• Soundness of Dark Energy properties
• Reconstructing the dark energy equation of state with varying couplings
• Quintessence Models and the Cosmological Evolution of alpha
• The Effect of a Chameleon Scalar Field on the Cosmic Microwave Background
• Counting Pockets with World Lines in Eternal Inflation
• A Generalized Theory of Varying Alpha
• Matter Non-conservation in the Universe and Dynamical Dark Energy
• Variations of Alpha in Space and Time
• A Cosmological Tale of Two Varying Constants
• Measuring $\alpha$ in the Early Universe: CMB Temperature, Large-Scale Structure and Fisher Matrix Analysis
• Search for a drifting proton--electron mass ratio from H${}_2$
• Search for a Variation of the Fine Structure around the Supermassive Black Hole in Our Galactic Center
• Scalar-tensor theories with pseudoscalar couplings
• Predictions and Observations in Theories with Varying Couplings
• General Dynamics of Varying-Alpha Universes
• The Ups and Downs of Cyclic Universes
• Late-time cosmology of scalar-tensor theories with universal multiplicative coupling between the scalar field and the matter Lagrangian
• Arnowitt-Deser-Misner gravity with variable G and Lambda and fixed point cosmologies from the renormalization group
• Anthropic Reasons for Non-Zero Flatness and Lambda
• Gauge-Invariant Perturbations of Varying-Alpha Cosmologies
• Cosmological Constraints on a Dynamical Electron Mass
• Varying Constants
• Cosmological Bounds on Spatial Variations of Physical Constants
• Dark energy: investigation and modeling
• Spatial Variation of the Fine-Structure Parameter and the Cosmic Microwave Background
• Analysis of Molecular Hydrogen Absorption toward QSO B0642-5038 for a Varying Proton-to-Electron Mass Ratio
• Cosmologies in Horndeski's second-order vector-tensor theory
• The Wall of Fundamental Constants
• Exacerbating the cosmological constant problem with interacting dark energy
• Investigation of the Gravitational Potential Dependence of the Fine-Structure Constant Using Atomic Dysprosium
• A new era of fine structure constant measurements at high redshift
• Constraints on Dirac-Born-Infeld type dark energy models from varying alpha
• Intrinsic Solar System decoupling of a scalar-tensor theory with a universal coupling between the scalar field and the matter Lagrangian
• A constraint on a varying proton--electron mass ratio 1.5 billion years after the Big Bang
• Dark Energy coupling with electromagnetism as seen from future low-medium redshift probes
• Varying Alpha and the Electroweak Model
• On the Effects of Coupled Scalar Fields on Structure Formation
• Cosmology Intertwined: A Review of the Particle Physics, Astrophysics, and Cosmology Associated with the Cosmological Tensions and Anomalies
• Varying fundamental constants principal component analysis: additional hints about the Hubble tension
• Multidimensional cosmological models: cosmological and astrophysical implications and constraints
• Machine Learning improved fits of the sound horizon at the baryon drag epoch
• Linearized Bekenstein Varying Alpha Models
• Varying Couplings in Electroweak Theory
• Transient Observers and Variable Constants, or Repelling the Invasion of the Boltzmann's Brains
• Cosmological evolution of Alpha driven by a general coupling with Quintessence
• How to estimate the differential acceleration in a two-species atom interferometer to test the equivalence principle
• Quantum states of p-band bosons in optical lattices
• Varying-Alpha Cosmologies with Potentials
• The Local Effects of Cosmological Variations in Physical 'Constants' and Scalar Fields I. Spherically Symmetric Spacetimes
• String theory, cosmology and varying constants
• Machine Learning meets the redshift evolution of the CMB Temperature
• Local Experiments See Cosmologically Varying Constants
• Qualitative Analysis of Universes with Varying Alpha
• The Fine-structure Constant as a Probe of Chemical Evolution and AGB Nucleosynthesis in Damped Lyman-alpha Systems
• Comments on "Note on varying speed of light theories"
• Testing the violation of the equivalence principle in the electromagnetic sector and its consequences in $f(T)$ gravity
• Limits on a Gravitational Field Dependence of the Proton--Electron Mass Ratio from H${}_2$ in White Dwarf Stars
• Fundamental cosmology in the E-ELT era: The status and future role of tests of fundamental coupling stability
• Varying Alpha: New Constraints from Seasonal Variations
• Constraining screened fifth forces with the electron magnetic moment
• Consistency tests of the stability of fundamental couplings and unification scenarios
• The variation of the fine-structure constant from disformal couplings
• Varying Alpha
• Constraining spatial variations of the fine structure constant using clusters of galaxies and Planck data
• Searching for deviations from the General Relativity Theory with gas mass fraction of galaxy clusters and complementary probes
• Mass and Charge in Brane-World and Non-Compact Kaluza-Klein Theories in 5 Dim
• The Local Effects of Cosmological Variations in Physical 'Constants' and Scalar Fields II. Quasi-Spherical Spacetimes
• Searching for cosmological signatures of the Einstein equivalence principle breaking
• Can we test Dark Energy with Running Fundamental Constants ?
• Interacting quantum mixtures for precision atom interferometry
• Probing dark energy beyond $z=2$ with CODEX
• Testing the variability of the proton-to-electron mass ratio from observations of methanol in the dark cloud core L1498
• Time variation of fundamental couplings and dynamical dark energy
• Cosmological Effects of Scalar-Photon Couplings: Dark Energy and Varying-alpha Models
• Galaxy clusters and a possible variation of the fine structure constant
• Unusual Features of Varying Speed of Light Cosmologies
• Varying electric charge in multiscale spacetimes
• Measuring Changes in the Fundamental Constants with Redshifted Radio Absorption Lines
• Cosmological Variation of the Fine Structure Constant from an Ultra-Light Scalar Field: The Effects of Mass
• Time variation of the fine structure constant in the early universe and the Bekenstein model
• Varying alpha from N-body Simulations
• Lagrangian description of cosmic fluids: mapping dark energy into unified dark energy
• The Equivalence Principle and the Constants of Nature
• Global Representation of the Fine Structure Constant and its Variation
• Varying Alpha Driven by the Dirac-Born-Infeld Scalar Field
• Where are the Walls?
• A five dimensional model of varying effective gravitational and fine structure constants
• Constants and Variations: From Alpha to Omega
• Competing bounds on the present-day time variation of fundamental constants
• On-shell Lagrangian of an ideal gas
• Dark energy and Equivalence Principle constraints from astrophysical tests of the stability of the fine-structure constant
• Bouncing Anisotropic Universes with Varying Constants
• Can galaxy clusters, type Ia supernovae and cosmic microwave background rule out a class of modified gravity theories?
• Thomson scattering: One rate to rule them all
• New test on the Einstein equivalence principle through the photon ring of black holes
• Current and future constraints on extended Bekenstein-type models for a varying fine-structure constant
• Evolution of the fine-structure constant in the non-linear regime
• Nonlinear multidimensional gravity and the Australian dipole
• An Environmental Variation of Constants
• Current and future constraints on Bekenstein-type models for varying couplings
• Probing the time variation of fine structure constant using galaxy clusters and quintessence model
• Fine-structure constant constraints on Bekenstein-type models
• Observables in theories with a varying fine structure constant
• Fast apparent oscillations of fundamental constants
• A Varying-e Brane World Cosmology
• Cosmic Variation of Proton to Electron Mass Ratio with an interacting Higgs Scalar Field
• On Fast Travel through spherically symmetric spacetimes
• Varying Alpha Monopoles
• Variations of nuclear binding with quark masses
• Varying-Alpha and K-Essence
• Quintessence and variation of the fine structure constant in the CMBR
• Measuring chemical evolution and gravitational dependence of αusing ultraviolet Fe V and Ni V transitions in white-dwarf spectra
• Cosmological effects of coupled dark matter
• Constraints on extended Bekenstein models from cosmological, astrophysical, and local data
• Phase transition in the fine structure constant
• Cosmic strings in Bekenstein-type models
• Observational Constraints on Varying Alpha in $\Lambda (\alpha )$CDM Cosmology
• 2d Stringy Black Holes and Varying Constants
• Cosmological and astrophysical constraints on tachyon dark energy models
• Nonlinear electrodynamics and the variation of the fine structure constant
• Varying fundamental constants: a full covariant approach and cosmological applications
• Violation of the Weak Equivalence Principle in Bekenstein's theory
• Redshifting of cosmological black bodies in BSBM varying-alpha theories
• Scenario of Accelerating Universe from the Phenomenological Λ- Models
• Fundamental physics with ESPRESSO: Constraints on Bekenstein and dark energy models from astrophysical and local probes
• Incompatibility of fine-structure constant variations at recombination with local observations
• Universe acceleration and fine structure constant variation in BSBM theory
• Varying Constants, Black Holes, and Quantum Gravity
• Do we live in an eigenstate of the "fundamental constants" operators?
• Normal DGP in varying speed of light cosmology
• Improved constraints on violations of the Einstein equivalence principle in the electromagnetic sector with complementary cosmic probes
• Manifestations of dark matter and variations of fundamental constants in atoms and astrophysical phenomena
• Non-parametric reconstruction of the fine structure constant with galaxy clusters
• Charge non-conservation, dequantisation, and induced electric dipole moments in varying-alpha theories
• Distinguishing freezing and thawing dark energy models through measurements of the fine-structure constant
• Varying alpha and cosmic acceleration in Brans-Dicke-BSBM theory: stability analysis and observational tests
• Constraining $f(R)$ Theories with Temporal Variation of Fine Structure Constant
• Coupling quintessence kinetics to electromagnetism
• One-electron atoms in screened modified gravity
• Theoretical and Observational Implications of Planck's Constant as a Running Fine Structure Constant
• Gravitational lens time-delay as a probe of a possible time variation of the fine-structure constant
• Implication of Spatial and Temporal Variations of the Fine-Structure Constant
• New Anisotropic Sudden Singularities and Dimensional Reduction
• Varying constants driven baryogenesis
• Gravitational scalar field coupled directly to the Maxwell field and its effect to solar-system experiments
• Ether and Relativity
• Estimations of the cosmological parameters from the observational variation of the fine structure constant
• Observable Effects of Scalar Fields and Varying Constants
• Cosmological Behavior of a Parity and Charge-Parity Violating Varying Alpha Theory
• Galaxy clusters, cosmic chronometers and the Einstein equivalence principle
• Spectra of Ni V and Fe V in the Vacuum Ultraviolet
• Anthropic Selection of Physical Constants, Quantum Entanglement, and the Multiverse Falsifiability
• Variations of the Fine Structure Constant in Space and Time
• Constraining PCP Violating Varying Alpha Theory Through Laboratory Experiments
• A Varying-alpha Brane World Cosmology
• Impact of inhomogeneities on slowly rolling Quintessence: implications for the local variations of the fine-structure constant
• Loop Quantum Cosmology and the Fine Structure Constant
• Large Scale Cosmological Anomalies and Inhomogeneous Dark Energy
• Dilatonic Topological Defects in 3+1 Dimensions and their Embeddings
• Limits on charge non-conservation from possible seasonal variations of the solar neutrino experiments
• Spacetime variation of $\alpha$ and the CMB power spectra after the recombination
• Gravitational Effects of Varying Alpha Strings
• Review of detector requirements: some challenges for the present
• Extended Planck Scale
• The New Planck Scale: Quantized Spin and Charge Coupled to Gravity
• New constraints on the values of the fundamental constants at a look-back time of 7.3 Gyr
• Testing local position invariance with odd multipoles of galaxy clustering statistics
• Cosmological Consequences of Topological Defects: Dark Energy and Varying Fundamental Constants
• Gauge invariance and non-constant gauge couplings
• Some cosmological consequences of a breaking of the Einstein equivalence principle
• On Generalized Theories of Varying Fine Structure Constant
• Constraining runaway dilaton models using joint gravitational-wave and electromagnetic observations
• Analysing the Effect on CMB in a Parity and Charge Parity Violating Varying Alpha Theory
• Redshift Dependence of CMB Temperature in BSBM $\alpha$-Varying Theories