Space-time variation of the fine structure constant and evolution of isotope abundances

Abstract

At present several groups are analyzing astrophysical data in a search for time-variation of the fine structure constant $\alpha$. Here we discuss how to exclude systematic effects caused by the changes in the isotope abundances during the evolution of the universe. We suggest using particular combinations of the transition frequencies of O II, Al II, Al III, Si II and Mn II as anchors, which are insensitive to $\alpha$-variation and to changes in isotope abundances. These anchors can be used to determine the cosmological redshift. Then, one can use other combinations of frequencies as probes for the time-variation of $\alpha$ and another set as probes for the isotopic abundances. In this way it is possible to eliminate one source of the systematic errors in the search for $\alpha$-variation and get new information about evolution of the isotopes. On the level of accuracy that has already been reached in the search for $\alpha$-variation it is possible to see ~10% changes in isotope abundances of Si and Ni.

arXiv comment6 pages, revtex4

References in corpus (12)

• Further Evidence for Cosmological Evolution of the Fine Structure Constant
• A Search for Time Variation of the Fine Structure Constant
• Further evidence for a variable fine-structure constant from Keck/HIRES QSO absorption spectra
• Limits on the time variation of the electromagnetic fine-structure constant in the low energy limit from absorption lines in the spectra of distant quasars
• Space-Time Variation of Physical Constants and Relativistic Corrections in Atoms
• Calculations of the Relativistic Effects in Many-Electron Atoms and Space-Time Variation of Fundamental Constants
• Probing the variability of the fine-structure constant with the VLT/UVES
• Relativistic calculations of isotope shifts in highly charged ions
• Isotope shift calculations for atoms with one valence electron
• The $\alpha$-dependence of transition frequencies for ions Si II, Cr II, Fe II, Ni II, and Zn II
• Configuration interaction calculation for the isotope shift in Mg I
• Testing cosmological variability of fundamental constants

Cited by in corpus (31)

• Search for New Physics with Atoms and Molecules
• Environmental Dependence of Masses and Coupling Constants
• Coupled Variations of Fundamental Couplings and Primordial Nucleosynthesis
• A new measure of Delta alpha/alpha at redshift z = 1.84 from very high resolution spectra of Q1101-264
• VLT/UVES constraints on the cosmological variability of the fine-structure constant
• Calculation of isotope shifts and relativistic shifts in CI, CII, CIII and CIV
• Precision spectroscopy of the 3s-3p fine structure doublet in Mg+
• Laboratory atomic transition data for precise optical quasar absorption spectroscopy
• Isotope Shifts in Beryllium-, Boron-, Carbon-, and Nitrogen-like Ions from Relativistic Configuration Interaction Calculations
• The Wall of Fundamental Constants
• Relativistic corrections to isotope shift in light ions
• Improved calculation of relativistic shift and isotope shift in Mg I
• Part-per-billion measurement of the $4^2{S}_{1/2}\to 3^2{D}_{5/2}$ electric quadrupole transition isotope shifts between ${}^{42,44,48}$Ca${}^{+}$ and ${}^{40}$Ca${}^{+}$
• Isotope shift calculations in Ti II
• Cosmology Intertwined: A Review of the Particle Physics, Astrophysics, and Cosmology Associated with the Cosmological Tensions and Anomalies
• Transition frequency shifts with fine structure constant variation for Fe II: Breit and core-valence correlation correction
• Unexpectedly large difference of the electron density at the nucleus in the 4p ${}^2$P${}_{1/2,3/2}$ fine-structure doublet of Ca${}^{+}$
• Variation of fundamental constants in space and time: theory and observations
• Transition frequency shifts with fine-structure constant variation for Fe I. Isotope shift calculations in Fe I and Fe II
• Where are the Walls?
• Implementation and Application of the Relativistic Equation of Motion Coupled-cluster Method for the Excited States of Closed-shell Atomic Systems
• Atomic transition frequencies, isotope shifts, and sensitivity to variation of the fine structure constant for studies of quasar absorption spectra
• TASI Lectures on AstroParticle Physics
• Isotope shifts and relativistic shifts of Cr II for study of alpha-variation in quasar absorption spectra
• Sensitivity coefficients to $\alpha$-variation for fine-structure transitions in Carbon-like ions
• High-resolution saturation spectroscopy of singly-ionized iron with a pulsed uv laser
• The Mystery of Alpha and the Isotopes
• Isotope shifts of the (3s3p)${}^3$P${}_{0,1,2}$ - (3s4s)${}^3$S${}_1$ Mg I transitions
• Sensitivity coefficients to $\alpha$-variation for astrophysically relevant transitions in Ni II
• Nd${}^{+}$ isotope shift measurements in a cryogenically-cooled neutral plasma
• A reanalysis of quasar absorption spectra results suggesting a spatial gradient in values of the fine-structure constant