Possible cosmological implications in electrodynamics due to variations of the fine structure constant

Abstract

Astronomical observations are suggesting that the fine structure constant varies cosmologically. We present an analysis on the consequences that these variations might induce on the electromagnetic field as a whole. We show that under these circumstances the electrodynamics in vacuum could be described by two fields, the ``standard'' Maxwell's field and a new scalar field. We provide a generalised Lorentz force which can be used to test our results experimentally.

7 pages, no figures. Accepted for publication in Rev. Mex. Fis. (Some extra information included, references added and small corrections made to the original version)