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Title:
Does the fine structure constant vary? A third quasar absorption sample consistent with varying α
Authors:
Webb, John K.; Murphy, Michael T.; Flambaum, Victor V.; Curran, Stephen J.
Affiliation:
AA(School of Physics, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia), AB(School of Physics, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia), AC(School of Physics, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia), AD(School of Physics, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia)
Publication:
Astrophysics and Space Science, v. 283, Issue 4, p. 565-575 (2003). (Ap&SS Homepage)
Publication Date:
00/2003
Origin:
KLUWER
DOI:
10.1023/A:1022518515530
Bibliographic Code:
2003Ap&SS.283..565W

Abstract

We report results from a third sample of quasar absorption line spectra from the Keck telescope which has been studied to search for any possible variation of the fine structure constant, α. This third sample, which is larger than the sum of the two previously published samples, shows the same effect, and also gives, as do the previous two samples, a significant result. The combined sample yields a highly significant effect, Δα = (αz - α0 )/α0 = -0.57 +/- 0.10 × 10-5, averaged over the redshift range 0.2 < z < 3.7. We include a brief discussion of small-scale kinematic structure in quasar absorbing clouds. However, kinematics are unlikely to impact significantly on the averaged non-zeroΔα /α above, and we have so far been unable to identify any systematic effect which can explain it. New measurements of quasar spectra obtained using independent instrumentation and telescopes are required to properly check the Keck results.
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