Astrophysics, Clocks and Fundamental Constants

By: Savely G. Karshenboim (Editor), Ekkehard Peik (Editor)

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Hardcover | 1 December 2004

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370 Pages

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24.13 x 16.51 x 1.91

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The question of a possible temporal variation of the fundamental constants was raised by Paul Dirac in his "large number hypothesis" in 1937. Today it appears in the context of the search for a unified theory of the fundamental interactions. It touches both fundamental and applied physics, as the postulate of the unalterability of the constants is the foundation for modern metrology. The book presents reviews written by leading experts in the field. Focussing on the question of variations of the fundamental "constants" in time or space, the chapters cover the theoretical framework in which variations are expected and the search for variations of quantities like the fine-structure constant, the electron/proton mass ratio, g-factors of proton and neutron etc. in astrophysical and geophysical observations and in precision experiments with atomic clocks and frequency standards.

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You Can Find This Book In

Non-Fiction Science Physics Applied Physics Astrophysics Science in General Scientific Standards Mensuration & Systems of Measurement Quantum Physics & Quantum Mechanics & Quantum Field Theory Engineering & Technology Technology in General Instruments & Instrumentation Engineering

Engineering Measurement & Calibration Relativity Physics Nuclear Physics Astronomy, Space & Time Cosmology & The Universe Geophysics

An Introduction to Varying Fundamental Constants	p. 1
Introduction	p. 1
Fundamental Constants	p. 3
Variability of Fundamental Constants	p. 5
'Fundamentality' of the Fundamental Constants	p. 6
'Constancy' of the Fundamental Constants	p. 7
Intercorrelations Between the Fundamental Constants	p. 7
Variability of Fundamental Constants and Equivalence Principle	p. 8
Astrophysical and Geophysical Search for a Variability of Constants	p. 9
New Frequency Standards and Constraints on Variation of Fundamental Constants	p. 10
Summary: Results and Open Questions	p. 15
Astrophysics
Time and the Universe	p. 21
Introduction	p. 21
The Cosmological Models	p. 22
The History of the Universe	p. 25
The Cosmic Microwave Background	p. 26
The Inflationary Model	p. 30
Variation of the Fine Structure Constant	p. 31
Conclusions	p. 31
Millisecond Pulsars as Tools of Fundamental Physics	p. 33
Introduction	p. 33
Pulsars	p. 34
Pulsars as Neutron Stars	p. 35
Pulsars as Radio Sources	p. 35
A Pulsar's Life	p. 36
Normal Pulsars	p. 37
Millisecond Pulsars	p. 37
Pulsars as Clocks	p. 38
Time Transfer	p. 38
Pulsar Timing	p. 42
Applications of Pulsars	p. 44
PPN Parameters	p. 44
Tests Using Double Neutron Stars	p. 48
Tests Using Profile Structure Data	p. 50
Recent Discoveries	p. 51
The Double-Pulsar	p. 51
Conclusions and Outlook	p. 53
Fundamental Constants
Fundamental Units: Physics and Metrology	p. 57
Introduction	p. 57
Fundamental Parameters and Units	p. 58
Planck Units	p. 58
c, h, G - Units	p. 59
Planck Units Are Impractical	p. 59
Units of Stoney	p. 63
Atomic Clocks and c	p. 66
Towards a Kilogram Based on h	p. 66
Kilogram as Frequency ¿_¿	p. 68
Electromagnetism and Relativity	p. 68
Concluding Remarks	p. 71
Constants, Units and Standards	p. 75
Introduction	p. 75
Early Measurements	p. 76
The Fundamental Physical Constants	p. 76
Units and Standards	p. 78
Use of the Fundamental Constants to Form Systems of Units	p. 79
Are the Constants Really Constant?	p. 79
The CODATA Evaluations	p. 79
Changing Accuracy	p. 80
Accuracy of Realization of the SI Units	p. 82
Practical Realizations of the SI Units and the Involvement of Fundamental Constants	p. 82
The Josephson Effect Voltage Standard	p. 83
The Quantised Hall Resistance	p. 83
The Calculable Capacitor	p. 83
The Moving Coil Watt Realization of Kibble	p. 84
The Kilogram	p. 85
The Anomalous g-Factor of the Electron	p. 85
The Rydberg Constant	p. 86
The Newtonian Constant of Gravitation	p. 87
Underpinning of the SI by the Fundamental Physical Constants	p. 87
The Importance of the Fine Structure Constant in Metrology	p. 87
Conclusion	p. 90
Future	p. 91
Summary	p. 92
Grand Unification and Quantum Gravity
Time Varying Fundamental Constants, Extra Dimensions and the Renormalization Group	p. 97
Dirac Revisited - The Hierarchy Problem	p. 97
Fundamental Constants from a Modern Perspective	p. 99
Extra Dimensions	p. 101
Renormalization Group Connections	p. 102
Examples	p. 103
Discussions	p. 104
Fundamental Constants and Their Possible Time Dependence	p. 107
Introduction	p. 107
Variation of Fundamental Constants and Grand Unification	p. 110
Quantum Gravity and Fundamental Constants	p. 115
Introduction	p. 115
Quantum General Relativity	p. 118
Superstring Theory ('M-theory')	p. 121
Kaluza-Klein Theories	p. 124
Conclusion	p. 126
Astrophysical and Geochemical Search
Constraining Variations in the Fine-Structure Constant, Quark Masses and the Strong Interaction	p. 131
Introduction	p. 131
Varying ¿ from Quasar Absorption Lines	p. 132
Quasar Absorption Lines	p. 132
The Many-Multiplet (MM) Method	p. 132
Spectral Analysis and Updated Results	p. 135
Recent Criticisms of the MM Method	p. 139
Isotopic Abundance Variations	p. 142
Varying ¿ and m_q/¿_QCD from Atomic Clocks	p. 143
Introduction	p. 143
Nuclear Magnetic Moments, ¿ and m_q/¿_QCD	p. 144
Results	p. 146
Conclusions	p. 148
Astrophysical Constraints on Hypothetical Variability of Fundamental Constants	p. 151
Introduction	p. 151
Methods to Constrain ¿¿/¿ from QSO Absorption Spectra	p. 153
The Alkali-Doublet (AD) Method	p. 153
The Many Multiplet (MM) Method	p. 154
The Regression MM Method	p. 158
Constraints on the Proton to Electron Mass Ratio	p. 160
Conclusions and Future Prospects	p. 163
Oklo Constraint on the Time-Variability of the Fine-Structure Constant	p. 167
What Is the Oklo Phenomenon?	p. 167
How Did Shlyakhter Probe ¿¿?	p. 168
How Good Is It?	p. 170
How Can It Be Consistent with the QSO Result?	p. 174
Bound on ¿¿/¿ from the Coulomb-Only Estimate	p. 181
Distant Migration of the Higher Resonances	p. 182
Another 3-Parameter Fit with an Offset	p. 184
Precision Frequency Measurements with Neutral Atoms
Cold Atom Clocks, Precision Oscillators and Fundamental Tests	p. 189
Introduction	p. 189
Test of Local Position Invariance. Stability of Fundamental Constants	p. 190
Theory	p. 190
Experiments with ⁸⁷Rb and ¹³³Cs Fountain Clocks	p. 193
Tests of Local Lorentz Invariance	p. 197
Theory	p. 198
Experimental Results	p. 201
Conclusion and Outlook	p. 204
Precision Spectroscopy of Atomic Hydrogen and Variations of Fundamental Constants	p. 209
Introduction	p. 209
Hydrogen Spectrometer	p. 212
Frequency Measurement	p. 215
Determination of Drift Rates	p. 221
Conclusion	p. 225
An Optical Frequency Standard with Cold and Ultra-cold Calcium Atoms	p. 229
Introduction	p. 229
Methods and Experimental Realization	p. 230
Properties of the Calcium Standard	p. 230
Production of Cold Ca Atoms (T ≈ 3 mK)	p. 231
Production of Ultra-cold Atoms	p. 232
Interrogation of the Clock Transition	p. 232
Uncertainty of the Optical Ca Frequency Standard	p. 235
Residual First-order Doppler Shifts	p. 235
Other Phase Shifts	p. 236
Frequency Shifts Due to External Fields	p. 236
Influence of Cold and Ultra-cold Atomic Collisions	p. 240
Uncertainty Budget	p. 240
Frequency Measurements	p. 241
Prospects of the Ca Optical Frequency Standard	p. 242
Frequency Standards with a Single Trapped Ion
Trapped Ion Optical Frequency Standards for Laboratory Tests of Alpha-Variability	p. 247
Introduction	p. 247
The Single Ion as a Reference in an Optical Clock	p. 248
Spectroscopy of the 435.5 nm Clock Transition of ¹⁷¹Yb+	p. 250
Absolute Transition Frequency and Frequency Comparison Between Two Ions	p. 251
Search for Temporal Variation of the Fine-Structure Constant	p. 254
Nuclear Optical Frequency Standard with Th-229	p. 257
An Optical Frequency Standard Based on the Indium Ion	p. 263
Introduction	p. 263
Cooling of the Indium Ion	p. 265
New Cooling Laser System	p. 265
High-Resolution Spectroscopy	p. 268
Absolute Frequency Measurements	p. 269
High-Resolution Molecular Spectroscopy
Applications of Femtosecond Laser Comb to Nonlinear Molecular Spectroscopy	p. 275
Introduction to Femtosecond Optical Frequency Comb	p. 275
Molecular Spectroscopy Aided by Femtosecond Optical Frequency Comb	p. 281
I₂ Hyperfine Interactions, Optical Frequency Standards and Clocks	p. 283
Extend Phase-Coherent fs Combs to the Mid-IR Spectral Region	p. 288
Femtosecond Lasers and External Optical Cavities	p. 290
Ultracold Trapped Molecules: Novel Systems for Tests of the Time-Independence of the Electron-to-Proton Mass Ratio	p. 297
Introduction	p. 297
Molecular Tests of Constancy of Electron-to-Nucleon Mass Ratios	p. 299
Sympathetic Cooling of Molecular Ions and Spectroscopy	p. 301
Quantum Jump Spectroscopy	p. 304
Conclusion	p. 306
Space Missions and General Relativity
35 Years of Testing Relativistic Gravity: Where Do We Go from Here?	p. 311
Introduction	p. 311
Scientific Motivation	p. 313
PPN Parameters and Their Current Limits	p. 313
Motivations for Precision Gravity Experiments	p. 314
Lunar Laser Ranging: A Unique Laboratory in Space	p. 318
LLR History and Scientific Background	p. 318
Equivalence Principle Tests	p. 319
LLR Tests of the Equivalence Principle	p. 321
LLR Tests of Other Gravitational Physics Parameters	p. 322
APOLLO Contribution to the Tests of Gravity	p. 323
New Test of Relativity: The LATOR Mission	p. 324
Overview of LATOR	p. 324
The Expected Results from LATOR	p. 326
Conclusions	p. 328
Search for New Physics with Atomic Clocks	p. 331
Introduction	p. 331
The Instrument	p. 334
Temperature Induced Frequency Shifts	p. 338
Mission Design	p. 339
Conclusion	p. 340
Index	p. 342
Index	p. 343
Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.

Astrophysics, Clocks and Fundamental Constants

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Hardcover

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