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Title: Wall of fundamental constants

Abstract

We consider the signatures of a domain wall produced in the spontaneous symmetry breaking involving a dilatonlike scalar field coupled to electromagnetism. Domains on either side of the wall exhibit slight differences in their respective values of the fine-structure constant, {alpha}. If such a wall is present within our Hubble volume, absorption spectra at large redshifts may or may not provide a variation in {alpha} relative to the terrestrial value, depending on our relative position with respect to the wall. This wall could resolve the contradiction between claims of a variation of {alpha} based on Keck/Hires data and of the constancy of {alpha} based on Very Large Telescope data. We derive the properties of the wall and the parameters of the underlying microscopic model required to reproduce the possible spatial variation of {alpha}. We discuss the constraints on the existence of the low-energy domain wall and describe its observational implications concerning the variation of the fundamental constants.

Authors:
 [1];  [2];  [3]
  1. William I. Fine Theoretical Physics Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55455 (United States)
  2. School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55455 (United States)
  3. Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris, UMR-7095 du CNRS, Universite Pierre et Marie Curie, 98 bis bd Arago, 75014 Paris (France)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
21513086
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Physical Review. D, Particles Fields
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 83; Journal Issue: 4; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.83.043509; (c) 2011 American Institute of Physics; Journal ID: ISSN 0556-2821
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS; ABSORPTION SPECTRA; ELECTROMAGNETISM; FINE STRUCTURE; FUNDAMENTAL CONSTANTS; RED SHIFT; SCALAR FIELDS; SYMMETRY BREAKING; TELESCOPES; MAGNETISM; SPECTRA

Citation Formats

Olive, Keith A, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55455, Peloso, Marco, Uzan, Jean-Philippe, Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, Cape Town University, Rondebosch 7701, and National Institute for Theoretical Physics. Wall of fundamental constants. United States: N. p., 2011. Web. doi:10.1103/PHYSREVD.83.043509.
Olive, Keith A, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55455, Peloso, Marco, Uzan, Jean-Philippe, Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, Cape Town University, Rondebosch 7701, & National Institute for Theoretical Physics. Wall of fundamental constants. United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVD.83.043509
Olive, Keith A, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55455, Peloso, Marco, Uzan, Jean-Philippe, Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, Cape Town University, Rondebosch 7701, and National Institute for Theoretical Physics. 2011. "Wall of fundamental constants". United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVD.83.043509.
@article{osti_21513086,
title = {Wall of fundamental constants},
author = {Olive, Keith A and School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55455 and Peloso, Marco and Uzan, Jean-Philippe and Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, Cape Town University, Rondebosch 7701 and National Institute for Theoretical Physics},
abstractNote = {We consider the signatures of a domain wall produced in the spontaneous symmetry breaking involving a dilatonlike scalar field coupled to electromagnetism. Domains on either side of the wall exhibit slight differences in their respective values of the fine-structure constant, {alpha}. If such a wall is present within our Hubble volume, absorption spectra at large redshifts may or may not provide a variation in {alpha} relative to the terrestrial value, depending on our relative position with respect to the wall. This wall could resolve the contradiction between claims of a variation of {alpha} based on Keck/Hires data and of the constancy of {alpha} based on Very Large Telescope data. We derive the properties of the wall and the parameters of the underlying microscopic model required to reproduce the possible spatial variation of {alpha}. We discuss the constraints on the existence of the low-energy domain wall and describe its observational implications concerning the variation of the fundamental constants.},
doi = {10.1103/PHYSREVD.83.043509},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/21513086}, journal = {Physical Review. D, Particles Fields},
issn = {0556-2821},
number = 4,
volume = 83,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Feb 15 00:00:00 EST 2011},
month = {Tue Feb 15 00:00:00 EST 2011}
}