Energy production in varying alpha theories

L. KRAISELBURD; M. MILLER BERTOLAMI; P. SISTERNA; H. VUCETICH

ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS

EDP SCIENCES S A

Año: 2011 vol. 529 p. 125 - 133

0004-6361

Aims. On the basis of the theoretical model proposed by Bekenstein for alpha´s variation, we analyze the equations that describe the energy exchange between matter and both the electromagnetic and the scalar fields.Methods. We determine how the energy flow of the material is modified by the presence of a scalar field. We estimate the total magnetic energy of matter from sum rules techniques. We compare the results with data obtained from the thermal evolution of the Earth and other planets.Results. We obtain stringent upper limits to the variations in alpha that are comparable with those obtained from atomic clock frequency variations.Conclusions. Our constraints imply that the fundamental length scale of Bekensteins theory LB cannot be larger than Planckslength LP.