Updated Constraints on the Variations of the Fine-Structure Constant from an Analysis of White-Dwarf Spectra
I fused observed spectra from the white-dwarf star G191-B2B to constrain the spatial and temporal variation of the fine-structure constant, <inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mrow> <mi>α</mi> <mo>=</mo> <mfrac&g...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2019-07-01
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| Series: | Symmetry |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-8994/11/7/936 |
| _version_ | 1798002601593143296 |
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| author | T. D. Le |
| author_facet | T. D. Le |
| author_sort | T. D. Le |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | I fused observed spectra from the white-dwarf star G191-B2B to constrain the spatial and temporal variation of the fine-structure constant, <inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mrow> <mi>α</mi> <mo>=</mo> <mfrac> <mrow> <msup> <mi>e</mi> <mn>2</mn> </msup> </mrow> <mrow> <mn>4</mn> <mi>π</mi> <msub> <mi>ε</mi> <mn>0</mn> </msub> <mi>ℏ</mi> <mi>c</mi> </mrow> </mfrac> </mrow> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula>. The analysis was combined with laboratory-measured and astronomically observed lines in [Ni V] to find <inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mrow> <mo>Δ</mo> <mi>α</mi> <mo>/</mo> <mi>α</mi> <mo>=</mo> <mrow> <mo>(</mo> <mrow> <mo>−</mo> <mn>0.003</mn> <mo>±</mo> <mn>0.072</mn> </mrow> <mo>)</mo> </mrow> <mo>×</mo> <msup> <mrow> <mn>10</mn> </mrow> <mrow> <mo>−</mo> <mn>6</mn> </mrow> </msup> </mrow> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula>. The obtained result allows a symmetry of the related comparison with previous studies looking for cosmological variations of <inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mi>α</mi> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula> using spectra from Quasi Stellar Objects (QSOs). In this way, we can expect higher sensitivity from white-dwarf spectra than QSO spectra. Therefore, this study should have orders-of-magnitude higher sensitivity per system than previous quasar studies, and we should reduce statistical and systematic errors. The results of this study place a more stringent limit on <inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mrow> <mo>Δ</mo> <mi>α</mi> <mo>/</mo> <mi>α</mi> </mrow> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula> than previous studies using the same data. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T11:54:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fee754d016804f74869e1184adbbe54c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-8994 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T11:54:49Z |
| publishDate | 2019-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Symmetry |
| spelling | doaj.art-fee754d016804f74869e1184adbbe54c2022-12-22T04:25:12ZengMDPI AGSymmetry2073-89942019-07-0111793610.3390/sym11070936sym11070936Updated Constraints on the Variations of the Fine-Structure Constant from an Analysis of White-Dwarf SpectraT. D. Le0Division of Computational Physics, Institute for Computational Science, Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, VietnamI fused observed spectra from the white-dwarf star G191-B2B to constrain the spatial and temporal variation of the fine-structure constant, <inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mrow> <mi>α</mi> <mo>=</mo> <mfrac> <mrow> <msup> <mi>e</mi> <mn>2</mn> </msup> </mrow> <mrow> <mn>4</mn> <mi>π</mi> <msub> <mi>ε</mi> <mn>0</mn> </msub> <mi>ℏ</mi> <mi>c</mi> </mrow> </mfrac> </mrow> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula>. The analysis was combined with laboratory-measured and astronomically observed lines in [Ni V] to find <inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mrow> <mo>Δ</mo> <mi>α</mi> <mo>/</mo> <mi>α</mi> <mo>=</mo> <mrow> <mo>(</mo> <mrow> <mo>−</mo> <mn>0.003</mn> <mo>±</mo> <mn>0.072</mn> </mrow> <mo>)</mo> </mrow> <mo>×</mo> <msup> <mrow> <mn>10</mn> </mrow> <mrow> <mo>−</mo> <mn>6</mn> </mrow> </msup> </mrow> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula>. The obtained result allows a symmetry of the related comparison with previous studies looking for cosmological variations of <inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mi>α</mi> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula> using spectra from Quasi Stellar Objects (QSOs). In this way, we can expect higher sensitivity from white-dwarf spectra than QSO spectra. Therefore, this study should have orders-of-magnitude higher sensitivity per system than previous quasar studies, and we should reduce statistical and systematic errors. The results of this study place a more stringent limit on <inline-formula> <math display="inline"> <semantics> <mrow> <mo>Δ</mo> <mi>α</mi> <mo>/</mo> <mi>α</mi> </mrow> </semantics> </math> </inline-formula> than previous studies using the same data.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-8994/11/7/936varying constantsvarying fine-structure constanthot white dwarf starsabsorption spectra analysis |
| spellingShingle | T. D. Le Updated Constraints on the Variations of the Fine-Structure Constant from an Analysis of White-Dwarf Spectra Symmetry varying constants varying fine-structure constant hot white dwarf stars absorption spectra analysis |
| title | Updated Constraints on the Variations of the Fine-Structure Constant from an Analysis of White-Dwarf Spectra |
| title_full | Updated Constraints on the Variations of the Fine-Structure Constant from an Analysis of White-Dwarf Spectra |
| title_fullStr | Updated Constraints on the Variations of the Fine-Structure Constant from an Analysis of White-Dwarf Spectra |
| title_full_unstemmed | Updated Constraints on the Variations of the Fine-Structure Constant from an Analysis of White-Dwarf Spectra |
| title_short | Updated Constraints on the Variations of the Fine-Structure Constant from an Analysis of White-Dwarf Spectra |
| title_sort | updated constraints on the variations of the fine structure constant from an analysis of white dwarf spectra |
| topic | varying constants varying fine-structure constant hot white dwarf stars absorption spectra analysis |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-8994/11/7/936 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT tdle updatedconstraintsonthevariationsofthefinestructureconstantfromananalysisofwhitedwarfspectra |