Constraint on a variation of the proton-to-electron mass ratio from H 2 absorption towards quasar Q2348-011

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Constraint on a variation of the proton-to-electron mass ratio from H 2 absorption towards quasar Q2348-011

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.3/215450

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Title: Constraint on a variation of the proton-to-electron mass ratio from H 2 absorption towards quasar Q2348-011
Author(s): Bagdonaite, Julija; Murphy, Michael T.; Kaper, Lex; Ubachs, Wim
Abstract: Molecular hydrogen (H2) absorption features observed in the line of sight to Q2348−011 at redshift zabs≃ 2.426 are analysed for the purpose of detecting a possible variation of the proton-to-electron mass ratio μ≡mp/me. By its structure, Q2348−011 is the most complex analysed H2 absorption system at high redshift so far, featuring at least seven distinctly visible molecular velocity components. The multiple velocity components associated with each transition of H2 were modelled simultaneously by means of a comprehensive fitting method. The fiducial model resulted in Δμ/μ= (−0.68 ± 2.78) × 10−5, showing no sign that & 0956; in this particular absorber is different from its current laboratory value. Although not as tight a constraint as other absorbers have recently provided, this result is consistent with the results from all previously analysed H2-bearing sightlines. Combining all such measurements yields a constraint of |Δμ/μ|≤ 10−5 for the redshift range z= 2–3.
Publication type: Journal article
Research centre: Swinburne University of Technology. Faculty of Information and Communication Technologies. Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing
Source: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 421, no. 1 (Mar 2012), pp. 419-425
Publication year: 2012
FOR Code(s): 0201 Astronomical and Space Sciences
Keyword(s): Absorption lines; Cosmology; Observations; Quasars
Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
ISSN: 0035-8711
Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2966.2011.20319.x
Copyright: Copyright © 2012 The Authors. Journal copyright © 2012 Royal Astronomical Society. The accepted manuscript is reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher. The definitive publication is available at www.interscience.wiley.com.
Research Projects: Galaxy formation and femtosecond frequency combs, Australian Research Council grant number DP0877998
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