TY - GEN
T1 - A molecular probe of dark energy
AU - Thompson, Rodger I.
PY - 2008
Y1 - 2008
N2 - Many theories of dark energy invoke rolling scaler fields which in turn predict time variable fundamental constants such as the ratio of electron to proton mass μ. Molecular energy levels are sensitive to μ with the electronic, vibrational and rotational levels affected each in a different manner depending on their quantum numbers. High redshift damped Lyman alpha clouds with molecular hydrogen offer an excellent opportunity to search for this possible variation. New, very accurate, laboratory measurements of the wavelengths of the Lyman and Werner transitions make it now possible to check whether the small variations in wavelength due to a time varying value of μ, are present.
AB - Many theories of dark energy invoke rolling scaler fields which in turn predict time variable fundamental constants such as the ratio of electron to proton mass μ. Molecular energy levels are sensitive to μ with the electronic, vibrational and rotational levels affected each in a different manner depending on their quantum numbers. High redshift damped Lyman alpha clouds with molecular hydrogen offer an excellent opportunity to search for this possible variation. New, very accurate, laboratory measurements of the wavelengths of the Lyman and Werner transitions make it now possible to check whether the small variations in wavelength due to a time varying value of μ, are present.
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U2 - 10.1007/978-3-540-75485-5_25
DO - 10.1007/978-3-540-75485-5_25
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:36448970937
SN - 9783540754848
T3 - ESO Astrophysics Symposia
SP - 113
EP - 116
BT - Precision Spectroscopy in Astrophysics
A2 - Santos, Nuno C.
A2 - Pasquini, Luca
A2 - Romaniello, Martino
A2 - Correia, Alexandre C. M.
ER -