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:
-
- William I. Fine Theoretical Physics Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55455 (United States)
- School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55455 (United States)
- 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}
}