Indications of a spatial variation of the fine structure constant.
Phys Rev Lett
; 107(19): 191101, 2011 Nov 04.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-22181590
ABSTRACT
We previously reported Keck telescope observations suggesting a smaller value of the fine structure constant α at high redshift. New Very Large Telescope (VLT) data, probing a different direction in the Universe, shows an inverse evolution; α increases at high redshift. Although the pattern could be due to as yet undetected systematic effects, with the systematics as presently understood the combined data set fits a spatial dipole, significant at the 4.2 σ level, in the direction right ascension 17.5 ± 0.9 h, declination -58 ± 9 deg. The independent VLT and Keck samples give consistent dipole directions and amplitudes, as do high and low redshift samples. A search for systematics, using observations duplicated at both telescopes, reveals none so far which emulate this result.
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Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2011
Tipo de documento:
Article