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Title:
Strong Limit on a Variable Proton-to-Electron Mass Ratio from Molecules in the Distant Universe
Authors:
Murphy, Michael T.; Flambaum, Victor V.; Muller, Sébastien; Henkel, Christian
Affiliation:
AA(Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing, Swinburne University of Technology, Mail H39, Post Office Box 218, Victoria 3122, Australia.), AB(School of Physics, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia.), AC(Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Post Office Box 23-141, Taipei, 106 Taiwan.), AD(Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Auf dem Hügel 69, 53121 Bonn, Germany)
Publication:
Science, Volume 320, Issue 5883, pp. 1611- (2008). (Sci Homepage)
Publication Date:
06/2008
Category:
ASTRONOMY
Origin:
SCIENCE
DOI:
10.1126/science.1156352
Bibliographic Code:
2008Sci...320.1611M

Abstract

The Standard Model of particle physics assumes that the so-called fundamental constants are universal and unchanging. Absorption lines arising in molecular clouds along quasar sightlines offer a precise test for variations in the proton-to-electron mass ratio, μ, over cosmological time and distance scales. The inversion transitions of ammonia are particularly sensitive to μ as compared to molecular rotational transitions. Comparing the available ammonia spectra observed toward the quasar B0218+357 with new, high-quality rotational spectra, we present the first detailed measurement of μ with this technique, limiting relative deviations from the laboratory value to |Δμ/μ| < 1.8 × 10-6 (95% confidence level) at approximately half the universe's current age—the strongest astrophysical constraint to date. Higher-quality ammonia observations will reduce both the statistical and systematic uncertainties in these observations.
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