Cosmological evolution of α and μ and the dynamics of dark energy

P. P. Avelino
Phys. Rev. D 78, 043516 – Published 7 August 2008

Abstract

We study the cosmological evolution of the fine structure constant α and the proton-to-electron mass ratio μ=mp/me in the context of a generic class of models, where the gauge kinetic function is a linear function of a quintessence-type real scalar field ϕ described by a Lagrangian with a standard kinetic term and a scalar field potential V(ϕ). We further assume that the scalar field potential is a monotonic function of ϕ and that the scalar field is always rolling down the potential. We show that, for this class of models, low-redshift constraints on the evolution of α and μ can provide very stringent limits on the corresponding variations at high redshift. We also demonstrate that these limits may be relaxed by considering more general models for the dynamics of α and μ. However, in this case, the ability to reconstruct the evolution of the dark energy equation of state using varying couplings could be seriously compromised.

  • Received 23 April 2008

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.78.043516

©2008 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

P. P. Avelino*

  • Centro de Física do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 687, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal and Departamento de Física da Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 687, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal

  • *ppavelin@fc.up.pt

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Issue

Vol. 78, Iss. 4 — 15 August 2008

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