Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Variation of fundamental constants in space and time: Theory and observations

  • Published:
The European Physical Journal Special Topics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Review of recent works devoted to the temporal and spatialvariation of the fundamental constants and dependence of the fundamentalconstants on the gravitational potential (violation of local position invariance) is presented. We discuss the variation of the fine structure constant α=e2/ħc, strong interaction andfundamental masses (Higgs vacuum), e.g. the electron-to-proton mass ratioμ=me/Mp or Xe=me/ΛQCD and Xq=mq/ΛQCD.We also present new results from Big Bang nucleosynthesisand Oklo natural nuclear reactor data and propose new measurements of enhanced effects in atoms, nuclei and molecules, both in quasar and laboratory spectra.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • J.-P. Uzan, Rev. Mod. Phys. 75, 403 (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  • V.V. Flambaum, E.V. Shuryak [arxiv:physics/0701220]

  • J.K. Webb, et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 82, 884 (1999)

  • J.K. Webb, et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 87, 091301 (2001)

  • M.T. Murphy, J.K. Webb, V.V. Flambaum, Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 345 (2003)

  • M.T. Murphy, J.K. Webb, V.V. Flambaum, Phys. Rev. Lett. 99, 239001 (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  • M.T. Murphy, J.K. Webb, V.V. Flambaum, Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. [astro-ph/0612407] (accepted)

  • E. Reynold, et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 151101 (2006)

  • V.F. Dmitriev, V.V. Flambaum, J.K. Webb, Phys. Rev. D 69, 063506 (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  • V.V. Flambaum, R.B. Wiringa, Phys. Rev. C 76, 054002 (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  • V.V. Flambaum [arXiv:physics.atom-ph/0705.3704]; Int. J. Mod. Phys. A 22, 4937 (2007)

  • S.N. Lea, Rep. Prog. Phys. 70, 1473 (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  • W.J. Marciano, Phys. Rev. Lett. 52, 489 (1984)

    Google Scholar 

  • X. Calmet, H. Fritzsch, Eur. Phys. J. C 24, 639 (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  • P. Langacker, G. Segre, M.J. Strassler, Phys. Lett. B 528, 121 (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  • C. Wetterich, J. Cosmol. Astro. Phys. 0310, 02 (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  • T. Dent, M. Fairbairn, Nucl. Phys. B 653, 256 (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  • V.V. Flambaum, E.V. Shuryak, Phys. Rev. D 65, 103503 (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  • K.A. Olive, et al., Phys. Rev. D 66, 045022 (2002)

  • V.F. Dmitriev, V.V. Flambaum, Phys. Rev. D 67, 063513 (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  • V.V. Flambaum, E.V. Shuryak, Phys. Rev. D 67, 083507 (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  • T. Dent, S. Stern, C. Wetterich [arXiv:0705.0696]

  • S.K. Lamoreaux, J.R. Torgerson, Phys. Rev. D 69, 121701 (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  • C.R. Gould, E.I. Sharapov, S.K. Lamoreaux, Phys. Rev. C 74, 024607 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  • Yu.V. Petrov, et al., Phys. Rev. C 74, 064610 (2006)

  • Y. Fujii, et al., Nucl. Phys. B 573, 377 (2000)

  • P. Tzanavaris, J.K. Webb, M.T. Murphy, V.V. Flambaum, S.J. Curran, Phys. Rev. Lett. 95, 041301 (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  • P. Tzanavaris, J.K. Webb, M.T. Murphy, V.V. Flambaum, S.J. Curran, Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 374, 634 (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  • V.V. Flambaum, M.G. Kozlov, Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 240801 (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  • V.V. Flambaum, A.F. Tedesco, Phys. Rev. C 73, 055501 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  • T.M. Fortier, et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 070801 (2007)

  • V.V. Flambaum, Phys. Rev. Lett. 97, 092502 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  • E. Peik, Ch. Tamm. Europhys. Lett. 61, 181 (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  • V.V. Flambaum, A. Höll, P. Jaikumar, C.D. Roberts, S.V. Wright, Few-Body Syst. 38, 31 (2006)

  • A. Höll, P. Maris, C.D. Roberts, S.V. Wright[arxiv:nucl-th/0512048]

  • V.V. Flambaum, D.B. Leinweber, A.W. Thomas, R.D. Young, Phys. Rev. D 69, 115006 (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  • A.I. Shlyakhter, Nature 264, 340 (1976)

  • T. Damour, F.J. Dyson, Nucl. Phys. B 480, 37 (1996)

    Google Scholar 

  • V.A. Dzuba, V.V. Flambaum, J.K. Webb, Phys. Rev. Lett. 82, 888 (1999)

    Google Scholar 

  • V.A. Dzuba, V.V. Flambaum, J.K. Webb, Phys. Rev. A 59, 230 (1999)

    Google Scholar 

  • V.A. Dzuba, V.V. Flambaum, M.V. Marchenko, Phys. Rev. A 68, 022506 (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  • V.A. Dzuba, V.V. Flambaum, Phys. Rev. A 61, 034502 (2000)

    Google Scholar 

  • V.A. Dzuba, V.V. Flambaum, Phys. Rev. A 71, 052509 (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  • V.A. Dzuba, V.V. Flambaum, M.G. Kozlov, M. Marchenko, Phys. Rev. A 66, 022501 (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  • J.C. Berengut, V.A. Dzuba, V.V. Flambaum, M.V. Marchenko, Phys. Rev. A 70, 064101 (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  • V.A. Dzuba, V.V. Flambaum, Phys. Rev. A [arXiv:physics.atom-ph/0711.4428](accepted)

  • J.C. Berengut, V.A. Dzuba, V.V. Flambaum, M.G. Kozlov, M.V. Marchenko, M.T. Murphy, J.K. Webb [physics/0408017]

  • R. Srianand, H. Chand, P. Petitjean, B. Aracil, Phys. Rev. Lett. 92, 121302 (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  • S.A. Levshakov, et al., Astron. Astrophys. 434, 827 (2005)

  • S.A. Levshakov, et al., Astron. Astrophys. 449, 879 (2006)

  • M.G. Kozlov, V.A. Korol, J.C. Berengut, V.A. Dzuba, V.V. Flambaum, Phys. Rev. A 70, 062108 (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  • J.C. Berengut, V.A. Dzuba, V.V. Flambaum, M.G. Kozlov, Phys. Rev. A 69, 044102 (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  • J.C. Berengut, V.A. Dzuba, V.V. Flambaum, Phys. Rev. A 68, 022502 (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  • J.C. Berengut, V.V. Flambaum, M.G. Kozlov, Phys. Rev. A 72, 044501 (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  • J.C. Berengut, V.V. Flambaum, M.G. Kozlov, Phys. Rev. A 73, 012504 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  • E.J. Angstmann, V.V. Flambaum, S.G. Karshenboim, Phys. Rev. A 70, 044104 (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  • E.J. Angstmann, V.A. Dzuba, V.V. Flambaum, Phys. Rev. A 70, 014102 (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  • A. Dzuba, V.V. Flambaum, Phys. Rev. A [arXiv:physics.atom-ph/0712.3621] (accepted)

  • E.J. Angstmann, V.A. Dzuba, V.V. Flambaum [physics/0407141]

  • A.T. Nguyen, D. Budker, S.K. Lamoreaux, J.R. Torgerson, Phys. Rev. A 69, 022105 (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  • A. Cingöz, et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 040801 (2007)

  • V.A. Dzuba, V.V. Flambaum, Phys. Rev. A 72, 052514 (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  • E.J. Angstmann, V.A. Dzuba, V.V. Flambaum, S.G. Karshenboim, A.Yu. Nevsky, J. Phys. B 39, 1937 (2006) [physics/0511180]

  • B.R. Beck, et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 142501 (2007)

  • E.V. Tkalya, A.N. Zherikhin, V.I. Zhudov, Phys. Rev. C 61, 064308 (2000)

    Google Scholar 

  • Z.-T. Lu (private communication); E. Peik (private communication); D. Habs (private communication)

  • X.T. He, Z.Z. Ren, J. Phys. G 34, 1611 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  • J.D. Prestage, R.L. Tjoelker, L. Maleki, Phys. Rev. Lett. 74, 3511 (1995)

    Google Scholar 

  • S.G. Karshenboim, Can. J. Phys. 78, 639 (2000)

    Google Scholar 

  • C. Chin, V.V. Flambaum, Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 230801 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  • V.V. Flambaum, M.G. Kozlov [arXiv:physics.atom-ph/0711.4536]

  • M.J. Drinkwater, J.K. Webb, J.D. Barrow, V.V. Flambaum, Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 295, 457 (1998)

    Google Scholar 

  • M.T. Murphy, et al., Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 327, 1244 (2001)

  • J. van Veldhoven, et al., Eur. Phys. J. D 31, 337 (2004)

  • C. Henkel, et al., Astron. Astrophys. 440, 893 (2005)

  • F. Combes, T. Wiklind, Astrophys. J 486, L79 (1997)

  • V.V. Flambaum, Phys. Rev. A 73, 034101 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  • V.V. Flambaum, M.G. Kozlov, Phys. Rev. Lett. 99, 150801 (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  • K.P. Huber, G. Herzberg, Constants of Diatomic Molecules (Van Nostrand, New York, 1979)

  • A.N. Petrov, N.S. Mosyagin, T.A. Isaev, A.V. Titov, Phys. Rev. A 76, 030501(R) (2007)

  • D. DeMille, Talk at 35th Meeting of the Division of Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics (Tucson, Arizona, May 25–29, 2004)

  • D. DeMille, et al. [arxiv:0709.0963]

  • V.V. Flambaum, E.V. Shuryak [physics/0701220]

  • A. Bauch, S. Weyers, Phys. Rev. D 65, 081101(R) (2002)

  • N. Ashby, et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 070802 (2007)

  • S.J. Ferrel, et al., Phys. Rev. A 98, 070802 (2007)

  • S. Blatt, et al. [arxiv:0801.1874]

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Physics, University of New South Wales, Sydney, 2052, Australia

    V. V. Flambaum

  2. Institute for Advanced Study, Massey University (Albany Campus), Private Bag 102904, North Shore MSC Auckland, New Zealand

    V. V. Flambaum

Authors
  1. V. V. Flambaum
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to V. V. Flambaum.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Flambaum, V. Variation of fundamental constants in space and time: Theory and observations. Eur. Phys. J. Spec. Top. 163, 159–171 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1140/epjst/e2008-00817-5

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1140/epjst/e2008-00817-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation