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Open Quantum Systems Decoherence Quantum Simulation Quantum Chemistry

Astronomical constraints on the cosmic evolution of the fine structure constant and possible quantum dimensions.

PubMed
Authors: Carilli CL, Menten KM, Stocke JT, Perlman E, Vermeulen R, Briggs F, de Bruyn AG, Conway J, Moore CP

Year

2000

Paper ID

13255

Status

Peer-reviewed

Abstract Read

~2 min

Abstract Words

118

Citations

64

Abstract

We present measurements of absorption by the 21 cm hyperfine transition of neutral hydrogen toward radio sources at substantial look-back times. These data are used in combination with observations of rotational transitions of common interstellar molecules to set limits on the evolution of the fine structure constant: alpha/ alpha<3.5x10(-15) yr(-1), to a look-back time of 4.8 Gyr. In the context of string theory, the limit on the secular evolution of the scale factor of the compact dimensions, R, is &Rdot/ R<10(-15) yr(-1). Including terrestrial and other astronomical measurements places 2sigma limits on slow oscillations of R from the present to the epoch of cosmic nucleosynthesis, just seconds after the big bang, of DeltaR /R<10(-5).

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  • We present measurements of absorption by the 21 cm hyperfine transition of neutral hydrogen toward radio sources at substantial look-back times.

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References & Citation Signals

[1] DOI https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.85.5511 [2] Publisher https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11136034/

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External citation index: OpenAlex citation signal • updated 2026-10-21 14:04:30

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