Measuring alpha in the early universe: CMB temperature, large-scale structure, and Fisher matrix analysis

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2002

Authors

martins, cjap (Author) Other; melchiorri, a (Author) Other; trotta, r (Author) Other; bean, r (Author) Other; rocha, g (Author) Other; avelino, pp (Author) FCUP; viana, ptp (Author) FCUP

Journal

Title: Physical Review D: Particles and fields

Vol. 66

ISSN: 0556-2821

Publisher: American Physical Society

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 51 Citations

Scopus - 54 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Natural sciences > Physical sciences

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-000-NNQ

DOI: 10.1103/physrevd.66.023505

Abstract (EN): We extend our recent work on the effects of a time-varying fine-structure constant alpha in the cosmic microwave background by providing a thorough analysis of the degeneracies between alpha and the other cosmological parameters, and discussing ways to break these with both existing and/or forthcoming data. In particular, we present the state-of-the-art cosmic microwave background constraints on alpha through a combined analysis of the BOOMERanG, MAXIMA and DASI data sets. We also present a novel discussion of the constraints on alpha coming from large-scale structure observations, focusing in particular on the power spectrum from the 2dF survey. Our results are consistent with no variation in alpha from the epoch of recombination to the present day, and restrict any such variation to be less than about 4%. We show that the forthcoming Microwave Anisotropy Probe and Planck experiments will be able to break most of the currently existing degeneracies between alpha and other parameters, and measure alpha to better than percent accuracy.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 11