Probing the time-variation of the fine-structure constant: Results based on Si IV doublets from a UVES sample
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We report a new constraint on the variation of the fine-structure constant based on the analysis of 15 Si iv doublets selected from a ESO-UVES sample. We find = over a redshift range of which is consistent with no variation in α. This result represents a factor of three improvement on the constraint on based on Si iv doublets compared to the published results in the literature. The alkali doublet method used here avoids the implicit assumptions used in the many-multiplet method that chemical and ionization inhomogeneities are negligible and isotopic abundances are close to the terrestrial value.
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The fit is usually not unique; this is not a problem when lines are not saturated, but it can increase the error on α_EM by a factor 2 in the case of strongly saturated lines (Chand et al. 2005).
“More important, the fit is usually not unique.This is not a problem when the lines are not saturated but it can increase the error on a EM by a factor 2 in the case of strongly saturated lines (Chand et al. 2005).”
From Fundamental constants: from measurement to the universe, a window on gravitation and cosmology (2025) · cites this paper as Chand et al. 2005
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- Srianand, R., Chand, H., Petitjean, P., et al., Phys. Rev. Lett., 2004, 92, 121302
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- Authors
- Chand, H., Petitjean, P., Srianand, R., & Aracil, B.
- Affiliations
- Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IN)
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- Venue
- Astronomy & Astrophysics
- Publisher
- EDP Sciences
- Published
- 2005-01
- Volume
- 430
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 47-58
- ISSN
- 0004-6361 (ISSN-L)
- 1432-0746
- OpenAlex
- W2095686041
- Cited by
- 65
- References
- 30
- Citations by year
- 2025: 2 · 2024: 2 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 2.52
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Astronomy and Astrophysics (publishedVersion)
- arXiv (Cornell University) (publishedVersion)
- Springer Link (Chiba Institute of Technology) (submittedVersion)
- HAL (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- CERN Document Server (European Organization for Nuclear Research) (submittedVersion)
- arXiv (Cornell University)
- Funders
- Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, India
- Indo-French Centre for the Promotion of Advanced Research
- European Southern Observatory (166.A-0106)
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Cosmology and Gravitation Theories
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena
- Keywords
- fine-structure constant variation, quasar absorption lines, redshift dependence
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