Fine-structure transitions as a tool for studying variation of α at high redshifts
| Autor: | S. A. Levshakov, M. G. Kozlov |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2017 |
| Předmět: |
Physics
Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics (astro-ph.CO) Hydrogen FOS: Physical sciences chemistry.chemical_element Astronomy and Astrophysics Astrophysics::Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics Astrophysics Alpha (navigation) Astrophysics - Astrophysics of Galaxies 01 natural sciences Redshift Galaxy Wavelength Far infrared chemistry Space and Planetary Science Astrophysics of Galaxies (astro-ph.GA) 0103 physical sciences Limit (mathematics) 010306 general physics Variation (astronomy) 010303 astronomy & astrophysics Astrophysics::Galaxy Astrophysics Astrophysics - Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics |
| Zdroj: | Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters. 469:L16-L19 |
| ISSN: | 1745-3933 1745-3925 |
| DOI: | 10.1093/mnrasl/slx049 |
| Popis: | Star-forming galaxies at high redshifts are the ideal targets to probe the hypothetical variation of the fine-structure constant alpha over cosmological time scales. We propose a modification of the alkali doublets method which allows us to search for variation in alpha combining far infrared and submillimeter spectroscopic observations. This variation manifests as velocity offsets between the observed positions of the fine-structure and gross-structure transitions when compared to laboratory wavelengths. Here we describe our method whose sensitivity limit to the fractional changes in alpha is about 5*10^-7. We also demonstrate that current spectral observations of hydrogen and [C II] 158 micron lines provide an upper limit on |Delta alpha/alpha| < 6*10^-5 at redshifts z = 3.1 and z = 4.7. 4 pages, accepted for publication in MNRAS Letters |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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