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Searching for space-time variation of the fine structure constant using QSO spectra: overview and future prospects

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 October 2010

J. C. Berengut
Affiliation:
School of Physics, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
V. A. Dzuba
Affiliation:
School of Physics, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
V. V. Flambaum
Affiliation:
School of Physics, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
J. A. King
Affiliation:
School of Physics, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
M. G. Kozlov
Affiliation:
Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute, Gatchina, 188300, Russia
M. T. Murphy
Affiliation:
Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing, Swinburne University of Technology, Victoria 3122, Australia
J. K. Webb
Affiliation:
School of Physics, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
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Current theories that seek to unify gravity with the other fundamental interactions suggest that spatial and temporal variation of fundamental constants is a possibility, or even a necessity, in an expanding Universe. Several studies have tried to probe the values of constants at earlier stages in the evolution of the Universe, using tools such as big-bang nucleosynthesis, the Oklo natural nuclear reactor, quasar absorption spectra, and atomic clocks (see, e.g. Flambaum & Berengut (2009)).

Type
Contributed Papers
Copyright
Copyright © International Astronomical Union 2010

References

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