Time variation of the fine structure constant

M. MOSQUERA; O. CIVITARESE

ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS

EDP SCIENCES S A

Lugar: Paris; Año: 2011 vol. 526 p. 109 - 113

0004-6361

Aims. We study the time variation of both the fine structure constant, α, and the Higgs vacuum expectation value, v, during Big Bangnucleosynthesis (BBN).Methods. We calculate the primordial abundances of D, 4He, and 7Li by modifying Kawano?s code, and by using observational datawe set constraints on the joint variation of α and v. To perform the calculations we considered the dependence of the deuteriumbindingenergy, D, upon v, obtained from the treatment of different proton-neutron interactions.Results. Results are consistent with variation on v (even at the level of 6σ) and null variation of α (within 2σ) if the 7Li data areused in the analysis. However, if data on these nuclei are not considered in the statistical analysis, we found null variation on bothfundamental constants within 2σ.Conclusions. We found that the best-fit values of the variation of v and α are sensible to the dependence of the deuterium bindingenergy upon the Higgs vacuum expectation value. We found non-null variation of v within 6σ if all the observational data are used inthe analysis. If data on the primordial abundance of 7Li are taken at face value, the discrepancy between BBN and WMAP estimatesmay be explained by allowing variations of v.Key words. primordial nucleosynthesis ? nuclear reactions ? nucleosynthesis ? abundances ? cosmology: theory