WMAP Constraints on varying $\alpha$ and the Promise of Reionization

Abstract

We present up-to-date constraints on the value of the fine-structure constant at the epoch of decoupling from the recent observations made by the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) satellite. In the framework of models we considered, a positive (negative) variation of the value of $\alpha$ at decoupling with respect to the present-day value is now bounded to be smaller than 2% (6%) at 95% confidence level. We point out that the existence of an early reionization epoch as suggested by the above measurements will, when more accurate cosmic microwave background polarization data is available, lead to considerably tighter constraints. The so-called `reionization bump', in particular, will be extremely useful for this purpose. We find that constraints on $\alpha$ can in principle only be as small as $0.1$ using CMB data alone--tighter constraints will require further (non-CMB) priors.

arXiv commentVersion to appear in Phys Lett B

References in corpus (21)

• First Year Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) Observations: Preliminary Maps and Basic Results
• The fundamental constants and their variation: observational status and theoretical motivations
• Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) First Year Observations: TE Polarization
• First Year Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) Observations: Angular Power Spectrum
• Further Evidence for Cosmological Evolution of the Fine Structure Constant
• First Year Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) Observations: Parameter Estimation Methodology
• The Confrontation between General Relativity and Experiment
• A Search for Variations of Fundamental Constants using Atomic Fountain Clocks
• Early-universe constraints on a time-varying fine structure constant
• The Behaviour of Varying-Alpha Cosmologies
• Constraining Variations in the Fine-Structure Constant with the Cosmic Microwave Background
• Looking for a varying $\alpha$ in the Cosmic Microwave Background
• Possible Constraints on the Time Variation of the Fine Structure Constant from Cosmic Microwave Background Data
• Cosmic concordance and the fine structure constant
• Measuring $\alpha$ in the Early Universe: CMB Polarization, Reionization and the Fisher Matrix Analysis
• Scalar-Tensor Cosmologies and their Late Time Evolution
• Measuring $\alpha$ in the Early Universe: CMB Temperature, Large-Scale Structure and Fisher Matrix Analysis
• Cosmology with Varying Constants
• Cosmology with Varying Constants
• String theory, cosmology and varying constants
• Does the proton-to-electron mass ratio vary in the course of cosmological evolution?

Cited by in corpus (54)

• Planck 2013 results. XVI. Cosmological parameters
• Varying constants, Gravitation and Cosmology
• Quantum Spacetime Phenomenology
• The CosmoVerse White Paper: Addressing observational tensions in cosmology with systematics and fundamental physics
• Exploring Cosmic Origins with CORE: Cosmological Parameters
• $f(T)$ Theories and Varying Fine Structure Constant
• New constraints on time-dependent variations of fundamental constants using Planck data
• The Constancy of the Constants of Nature: Updates
• Measuring $\alpha$ in the Early Universe: CMB Polarization, Reionization and the Fisher Matrix Analysis
• Reconstructing the dark energy equation of state with varying couplings
• Planck intermediate results. XXIV. Constraints on variation of fundamental constants
• Varying Constants
• New Constraints on variations of the fine structure constant from CMB anisotropies
• Moduli Stabilization in Brane Gas Cosmology with Superpotentials
• Big bang nucleosynthesis with a varying fine structure constant and non-standard expansion rate
• Cosmology with varying fundamental constants from hyperlight, coupled scalars
• Constraining Variations in the Fine Structure Constant in the presence of Early Dark Energy
• The Fine Structure Constant and the CMB Damping Scale
• Multidimensional cosmological models: cosmological and astrophysical implications and constraints
• CMB constraints on the fine structure constant
• Varying Couplings in Electroweak Theory
• Linearized Bekenstein Varying Alpha Models
• Cosmological evolution of Alpha driven by a general coupling with Quintessence
• Varying-Alpha Cosmologies with Potentials
• Varying couplings in the early universe: correlated variations of $\alpha$ and $G$
• Coupled Inflation and Brane Gases
• Unifying cosmological and recent time variations of fundamental couplings
• Delayed Recombination and Cosmic Parameters
• A quantum long time energy red shift: a contribution to varying $\alpha$ theories
• On the cosmological evolution of alpha and mu and the dynamics of dark energy
• Probing spatial variation of the fine-structure constant using the CMB
• Searching for New Physics Through AMO Precision Measurements
• Possible variations of the fine structure constant $\alpha$ and their metrological significance
• Time Evolution of the Fine Structure Constant in a Two-Field Quintessence Model
• Varying Alpha Driven by the Dirac-Born-Infeld Scalar Field
• Variations in fundamental constants at the cosmic dawn
• Probing variation of the fine-structure constant in runaway dilaton models using Strong Gravitational Lensing and Type Ia Supernovae
• Cosmological constraints in the presence of ionizing and resonance radiation at recombination
• Environment Dependent Electron Mass and the H${}_0$-Tension
• Delayed Recombination and Standard Rulers
• Planck and reionization history: a model selection view
• Evolution of the fine-structure constant in the non-linear regime
• Varying Alpha Monopoles
• Phase transition in the fine structure constant
• Cosmic strings in Bekenstein-type models
• Universe acceleration and fine structure constant variation in BSBM theory
• Impact of the matter density uncertainty on the dark energy reconstruction
• Estimations of the cosmological parameters from the observational variation of the fine structure constant
• Future constraints on variations of the fine structure constant from combined CMB and weak lensing measurements
• Assessing the viability of successful reconstruction of the dynamics of dark energy using varying fundamental couplings
• Gravitational Effects of Varying Alpha Strings
• Cosmological constraints from Microwave Background Anisotropy and Polarization
• Cosmological Consequences of Topological Defects: Dark Energy and Varying Fundamental Constants
• Astrophysical Probes of Fundamental Physics