First measurement of Mg isotope abundances at high redshifts and accurate estimate of Δ α/α
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Aims. Abundances of the Mg isotopes 24Mg, 25Mg, and 26Mg can be used to test models of chemical enrichment of interstellar/intergalactic gas clouds. Additionally, because the position of the Mg ii λλ2796,2803 Å lines is often taken as a reference in computations of possible changes of the fine-structure constant α, it should be clarified to which extent these lines are affected by isotopic shifts.
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In systems at z = 1.58 and 1.65, Agafonova et al. concluded that r_Mg ≲ 0.7 (respectively 2.6).
“In systems at z ¼ 1:58 and 1.65 they conclude that r Mg .0:7(resp.2.6).”
From Fundamental constants: from measurement to the universe, a window on gravitation and cosmology (2025) · cites this paper as Agafonova et al. 2011
Agafonova et al. (2011) measured the isotopic ratio 24Mg:25Mg:26Mg = (19 ± 11):(22 ± 13):(59 ± 6), leading to r_Mg = 4 at z = 0.45, showing over-abundance of heavy Mg isotopes compared to the Solar system value r_Mg = 0.3.
“From the absorption spectrum of the quasar HE0001-2340 observed with VLT/UVES, Agafonova et al. (2011) measured the isotopic ratio 24 Mg: 25 Mg: 26 Mg ¼ ð19 Æ 11Þ : ð22 Æ 13Þ : ð59 Æ 6Þ leading to r Mg ¼ 4 at z ¼ 0:45, hence showing over-abundance of heavy Mg isotopes compared to the Solar system value of r Mg ¼ 0:3.”
From Fundamental constants: from measurement to the universe, a window on gravitation and cosmology (2025) · cites this paper as Agafonova et al. 2011
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- Authors
- Agafonova, I. I., Molaro, P., Levshakov, S. A., & Hou, J. L.
- Affiliations
- Trieste Astronomical Observatory (IT)
- Shanghai Astronomical Observatory (CN)
- Venue
- Astronomy & Astrophysics
- Publisher
- EDP Sciences
- Published
- 2011-03-25
- Volume
- 529
- Pages
- A28
- ISSN
- 0004-6361 (ISSN-L)
- 1432-0746
- OpenAlex
- W1738986881
- Cited by
- 81
- References
- 55
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 13 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 13 · 2012: 5
- FWCI
- 4.76
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Astronomy and Astrophysics (publishedVersion)
- arXiv (Cornell University) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China
- Russian Foundation for Basic Research
- Chinese Academy of Sciences
- National Key Research and Development Program of China
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies
- Keywords
- magnesium isotopes, chemical enrichment, intergalactic medium, interstellar medium, fine-structure constant variation, alpha variation, isotope shift, 24Mg, 25Mg, 26Mg
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