Does the proton-to-electron mass ratio μ = m
p
/m
e vary in the course of cosmological evolution? |
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Authors: | A Ivanchik P Petitjean E Rodriguez D Varshalovich |
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Institution: | (1) Ioffe Physical-Technical Institute, St.-Petersburg, Russia;(2) Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris – CNRS, Paris, France;(3) Ioffe Physical-Technical Institute, St.-Petersburg, Russia |
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Abstract: | The possible cosmological variation of the proton-to-electron mass ratio μ = m
p
/m
e was estimated by measuring the H2 wavelengths in the high-resolution spectrum of the quasar Q 0347-382. Our analysis yielded an estimate for the possible deviation
ofμ value in the past, 10 Gyr ago: for the unweighted valueΔ μ / μ = (3.0±2.4)×10-5; for the weightedvalueΔ μ / μ = (5.02±1.82)×10-5.Since the significance of the both results does not exceed3σ, further observations are needed to increase the statistical
significance. In any case, this result may be considered as the most stringent estimate on an upper limit of a possible variation
of μ (95% C.L.):|Δ μ / μ| < 8× 10-5 .This value serves as an effective tool for selection of models determining a relation between possible cosmological deviations
of the fine-structure constant α and the elementary particle masses (mp, me, etc.).
This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date. |
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Keywords: | |
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