A “Fine Structure Constant” for Inertia

Varying Fine-Structure Constant and the Cosmological Constant Problem1

We start with a brief account of the latest analysis of the Oklo phenomenon providing the still most stringent constraint on time-variability of the fine-structure constant α. Comparing this with the recent result from the measurement of distant QSO’s appears to indicate a non-uniform time-dependence, which we argue to be related to another recent finding of the accelerating universe. This view...

Time Evolution of the Fine Structure Constant

We present a short review of the current quasar (QSO) absorption line constraints on possible variation of the fine structure constant, α ≡ e 2 /¯ hc. Particular attention is paid to recent optical Keck/HIRES spectra of 49 absorption systems which indicate a smaller α in the past [1, 2]. Here we present new preliminary results from 128 absorption systems: ∆α/α = (−0.57 ± 0.10) × 10 −5 over the ...

The Meaning of the Fine Structure Constant

Uniqueness of the Fine-structure Constant.

Fine Structure Anomalies and Search for Variation of the Fine Structure Constant in Laboratory Experiments

Configuration interaction in many-electron atoms may cause anomalies in the fine structure which make the intervals small and very sensitive to variation of the fine structure constant. Repeated precision measurements of these intervals over long period of time can put strong constrain on possible time variation of the fine structure constant. We consider the 5p 3P2,1,0 fine structure multiplet...