2004ApJ...600..520B

Query : 2004ApJ...600..520B

2004ApJ...600..520B - Astrophys. J., 600, 520-543 (2004/January-2)

Does the fine-structure constant vary with cosmological epoch?

BAHCALL J.N., STEINHARDT C.L. and SCHLEGEL D.

Abstract (from CDS):

We use the strong nebular emission lines of O III, λλ5007 and 4959, to set a robust upper limit on the time dependence of the fine-structure constant. We find α–1dα(t)/dt<2x10–13/yr, corresponding to Δα/α(0)=0.7±1.4x10–4 for quasars with 0.16<z<0.80 obtained from the SDSS Early Data Release. Using a blind analysis, we show that the upper limit given here is invariant with respect to 17 different ways of selecting the sample and analyzing the data. As a by-product, we show that the ratio of transition probabilities corresponding to the λλ5007 and 4959 lines is 2.99±0.02, in good agreement with (but more accurate than) theoretical estimates. We compare and contrast the O III emission line method used here with the many-multiplet method that was used recently to suggest evidence for a time-dependent α. In an appendix we analyze the quasars from the recently available SDSS Data Release One sample and find Δα/α(0)=1.2±0.7x10–4.

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Journal keyword(s): Atomic Data - Line: Identification - Line: Profiles - Galaxies: Quasars: Absorption Lines - Galaxies: Quasars: Emission Lines

Simbad objects: 98

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Number of rows : 98
N Identifier Otype ICRS (J2000)
RA 		ICRS (J2000)
DEC 		Mag U Mag B Mag V Mag R Mag I Sp type #ref
1850 - 2026 		#notes
1 2MASS J00085918+0113510 Sy1 00 08 59.1910149216 +01 13 51.220459920   19.27 18.81     ~ 26 0
2 [VV2006] J001002.9-010107 QSO 00 10 02.9663099664 -01 01 07.202555760   19.38 19.10     ~ 30 0
3 [VV2006] J001030.5+010005 QSO 00 10 30.5579665344 +01 00 06.079777992   18.57 18.20     ~ 26 0
4 LBQS 0010+0035 Sy1 00 13 27.3148177584 +00 52 32.059679016   18.26 17.96     ~ 53 0
5 2MASS J00154535+0008222 QSO 00 15 45.3647420304 +00 08 22.536980232   20.39 19.80     ~ 22 0
6 PB 6040 Sy1 00 34 31.7440830480 -00 13 12.766625688   18.35 18.16     ~ 46 0
7 2MASS J00445865+0043199 QSO 00 44 58.6847484792 +00 43 19.916366592   19.17 18.77     ~ 30 0
8 [VV2006] J005717.9+003242 QSO 00 57 17.8897263168 +00 32 42.991421208   17.5 18.77 17.7   ~ 35 0
9 LBQS 0056-0009 Bla 00 59 05.5147782072 +00 06 51.620377428   18.07 17.89 16.9   ~ 300 1
10 [VV2006] J011421.0-004048 QSO 01 14 20.9580986928 -00 40 49.267275132   19.13 19.00     ~ 35 0
11 2MASS J01205093-0018330 QSO 01 20 50.9403354264 -00 18 33.006598884   19.28 18.93     ~ 31 0
12 SDSS J012750.40-000919.6 QSO 01 27 50.4053091912 -00 09 19.583728272   20.10 19.71     ~ 30 0
13 QSO B0131+0058 QSO 01 33 52.6595091120 +01 13 45.274969524   18.82 18.50     ~ 55 0
14 2E 437 Sy1 01 36 24.4208152464 +20 57 27.522990972   18.15 18.10     ~ 367 2
15 2MASS J01562906+0007242 QSO 01 56 29.0649107064 +00 07 24.345866532   19.10 18.86     ~ 29 0
16 Mrk 1014 Sy1 01 59 50.2534701768 +00 23 40.864244784   16.08 15.87     ~ 606 0
17 [VV98] J020115.4+003136 QSO 02 01 15.5316183984 +00 31 35.059919664   18.47 18.38     ~ 36 0
18 [VV2006] J021123.4+001959 QSO 02 11 23.3772685656 +00 19 59.492730396   19.40 19.29     ~ 32 0
19 PB 6739 QSO 02 12 25.5667246680 +01 00 56.148118164   18.64 18.57     ~ 53 3
20 [VV2006] J021259.6-003029 QSO 02 12 59.5925788680 -00 30 29.470145688   18.13 17.93     ~ 42 0
21 PB 6760 Sy1 02 13 59.7914369184 +00 42 26.743923504   18.12 17.65     ~ 57 0
22 2MASS J02165246-0023352 Sy1 02 16 52.4778263640 -00 23 35.385485136   19.56 18.93     ~ 33 0
23 SDSS J022119.84+005628.5 Sy2 02 21 19.8449339784 +00 56 28.548589632   19.78 19.26     ~ 17 0
24 [VV2006] J022259.6-005035 QSO 02 22 59.6366772480 -00 50 35.803231908   19.45 19.23     ~ 27 0
25 PB 6856 QSO 02 42 40.3188012768 +00 57 27.137143404   16.62 16.51     ~ 62 0
26 2MASS J02470668+0023180 QSO 02 47 06.6566260392 +00 23 18.181615596   19.65 19.01     ~ 25 0
27 US 3213 QSO 02 49 54.4963228392 +01 01 48.192936600   19.74 19.57     ~ 38 0
28 PB 6899 Sy1 02 50 07.0320724296 +00 25 25.379216868   18.23 17.91     ~ 57 0
29 PB 6925 QSO 02 54 32.5250543496 -00 42 20.075671260   18.74 18.52     ~ 52 0
30 LBQS 0254+0101 Sy1 02 56 46.9706726184 +01 13 49.296777816   18.53 17.99     ~ 48 0
31 SDSS J025735.33-001631.3 Sy1 02 57 35.3293248624 -00 16 31.369842660   20.12 19.52     ~ 27 0
32 US 3513 QSO 03 00 48.9405790272 +00 54 40.714823052   18.90 18.77     ~ 43 0
33 PB 6989 QSO 03 03 13.0236290664 -00 14 57.467305824   19.21 18.91     ~ 97 1
34 [VV2006] J031226.1-003709 QSO 03 12 26.1234856512 -00 37 09.015921624   18.99 18.82     ~ 31 0
35 [VV2006] J032600.0+000801 QSO 03 25 59.9720355168 +00 08 00.729660840   17.86 17.69     ~ 36 0
36 2MASS J03262854-0027419 QSO 03 26 28.5360622392 -00 27 41.470611300   19.70 19.32     ~ 28 0
37 [VV2006] J033202.3-003739 QSO 03 32 02.3345468688 -00 37 39.049158648   18.58 18.27     ~ 33 0
38 2MASS J03360668-0007546 Sy2 03 36 06.7039401216 -00 07 54.738347628   20.65 19.93     ~ 14 1
39 [VV2006] J034106.7+004609 QSO 03 41 06.7662483144 +00 46 10.104383388   18.4 18.41 19.0   ~ 31 0
40 2MASS J03424773+0109331 Sy1 03 42 47.7243791856 +01 09 32.936064336   19.05 18.73     ~ 29 0
41 [VV2006] J034345.9-004801 QSO 03 43 45.9177241944 -00 48 01.371264984   20.28 20.06     ~ 25 0
42 ICRF J054236.1+495107 Sy1 05 42 36.13789710 +49 51 07.2337139   18.45 17.80 17.210   ~ 1573 1
43 3C 191 QSO 08 04 47.9671662720 +10 15 23.746977252   18.65 18.40     ~ 295 2
44 SDSS J094132.89+000731.0 Sy1 09 41 32.9035928064 +00 07 31.128306168   19.82 19.67     ~ 26 0
45 SDSS J094241.68+005652.2 QSO 09 42 41.6832973416 +00 56 52.267061580   20.51 20.16     ~ 20 0
46 [VV2006] J095626.0-000354 QSO 09 56 25.9371980016 -00 03 53.110176768   18.78 18.71     ~ 33 0
47 2MASS J10141941-0028337 QSO 10 14 19.4019964296 -00 28 34.198048524   19.36 18.90     ~ 19 0
48 LBQS 1022+0046 QSO 10 25 02.7480672120 +00 31 26.758958412   20.02 19.57     ~ 25 0
49 QSO B1024-008 QSO 10 27 00.2426676192 -01 04 24.915384048   18.61 18.40     ~ 23 0
50 2QZ J102920.7-004748 Sy1 10 29 20.7013025904 -00 47 47.497608348   19.12 18.72     ~ 31 0
51 2MASS J10413279-0050574 Sy1 10 41 32.7804513432 -00 50 57.537748284   18.56 18.21     ~ 35 0
52 [VV2006] J104431.7-001119 QSO 10 44 31.7756506248 -00 11 18.642461208   19.56 19.32     ~ 25 0
53 PG 1049-005 Sy1 10 51 51.4474066944 -00 51 17.707987476   15.98 15.78     ~ 188 0
54 SDSS J105228.34-010448.1 QSO 10 52 28.3427002392 -01 04 48.129678120   18.6 19.45 19.3   ~ 26 0
55 2QZ J105337.9+005958 Sy1 10 53 37.9596450216 +00 59 58.777740132   19.56 19.35     ~ 30 0
56 LEDA 1136991 Sy1 10 57 06.9453582384 -00 41 45.098379708   18.28 17.95 16.882   ~ 35 0
57 [VV2006] J111231.1-002533 QSO 11 12 31.1283697536 -00 25 34.179078396   18.82 18.78     ~ 34 0
58 [VV2006] J111354.0-000219 QSO 11 13 53.9979258480 -00 02 17.900343996   18.75 18.48     ~ 20 0
59 [VV2006] J114510.4+011055 QSO 11 45 10.3867278456 +01 10 56.317278216   19.21 19.15     ~ 35 0
60 2MASS J11575874-0022208 Sy1 11 57 58.7285036808 -00 22 20.902264464   17.65 17.27     ~ 65 0
61 2QZ J122004.3-002540 Sy1 12 20 04.3746430800 -00 25 38.997437844   19.35 19.09     ~ 34 0
62 LBQS 1229+0106 QSO 12 32 09.6804620352 +00 50 15.406532844   19.35 19.23     ~ 30 0
63 2MASS J13000291-0106018 QSO 13 00 02.9206576248 -01 06 01.808244036   18.47 18.15     ~ 24 0
64 2MASS J13071325-0036018 Sy1 13 07 13.2584065896 -00 36 01.689208848   17.80 17.54 16.73   ~ 37 0
65 [VV2006] J132748.2-001021 QSO 13 27 48.0827518272 -00 10 21.756574236   19.24 19.10     ~ 29 0
66 LBQS 1338-0038 QSO 13 41 13.9355679576 -00 53 15.028930032   17.98 17.68     ~ 59 0
67 3XMM J134459.4-001559 Sy1 13 44 59.4488776152 -00 15 59.514719292   17.83 17.64     ~ 57 0
68 2MASS J13450796-0019007 QSO 13 45 07.9351094112 -00 19 00.907925844   19.54 19.17     ~ 23 0
69 [VV2006] J140827.6+004815 QSO 14 08 27.6406904352 +00 48 15.426441360   19.18 19.09     ~ 28 0
70 2MASS J14163742+0033522 QSO 14 16 37.4578721400 +00 33 52.266928680   19.50 19.20     ~ 33 0
71 2MASS J14264879+0053233 Sy1 14 26 48.7778958120 +00 53 23.307665064   18.86 18.28 17.781   ~ 28 0
72 2SLAQ J145221.62+002359.8 Sy1 14 52 21.6243996288 +00 23 59.783589492   19.45 19.39     ~ 23 0
73 2SLAQ J150629.24+003543.2 Sy1 15 06 29.2381017120 +00 35 43.223753184   18.87 18.65     ~ 25 0
74 [VV2006] J152110.5+000304 QSO 15 21 10.4959874712 +00 03 04.480783632   19.05 18.90     ~ 24 0
75 [VV2006] J153306.4+000634 QSO 15 33 06.4216987656 +00 06 35.200011384   18.08 17.98     ~ 28 0
76 2MASS J16562734+6232267 Sy1 16 56 27.3133252560 +62 32 26.655949860   18.23 17.89     ~ 30 0
77 8C 1704+608 Bla 17 04 41.3742408840 +60 44 30.520617000   15.65 15.40 15.30   ~ 782 1
78 [VV2006] J170956.0+573225 Sy1 17 09 56.0078464176 +57 32 25.416379032   18.56 18.42     ~ 31 0
79 [VV98] J171441.8+644156 QSO 17 14 41.8676389848 +64 41 55.310024868   18.97 18.58     ~ 35 0
80 2MASS J17203228+5513306 QSO 17 20 32.2810486824 +55 13 30.209523168   18.32 18.09     ~ 27 0
81 2MASS J17205947+6128115 Sy1 17 20 59.4546552984 +61 28 11.630331048   18.93 18.55     ~ 25 0
82 2MASS J17220601+5654518 Sy1 17 22 06.0278806104 +56 54 51.664893732   18.79 18.48     ~ 67 1
83 [VV2006] J172446.9+575453 QSO 17 24 46.8835611960 +57 54 53.887983768   20.01 19.85     ~ 20 0
84 2MASS J17254319+5806050 Sy1 17 25 43.1858812728 +58 06 04.829427180   18.43 18.28     ~ 27 0
85 SDSS J172554.32+562458.8 QSO 17 25 54.3211432392 +56 24 58.795874820   21.33 20.77     ~ 19 0
86 2MASS J17331108+5354565 QSO 17 33 11.0774475240 +53 54 57.227437440   19.06 18.70     ~ 18 0
87 SDSS J173602.34+554040.5 QSO 17 36 02.3448714336 +55 40 40.427687964   20.18 20.06     ~ 23 0
88 2MASS J17363862+5354318 QSO 17 36 38.6039729424 +53 54 32.567163120   20.27 19.82     ~ 20 0
89 2MASS J17372114+5503218 Sy1 17 37 21.1475602512 +55 03 21.729321180   19.11 18.66     ~ 27 0
90 MCG+07-41-003 Bla 19 59 28.35656837 +40 44 02.0972325   16.22 15.10     ~ 2537 2
91 [VV2006] J232640.0-003041 QSO 23 26 40.0143548496 -00 30 41.447862972   19.10 18.93     ~ 33 0
92 2MASS J23280146+0017048 QSO 23 28 01.4743640304 +00 17 04.985021148   19.35 19.09 18.56 18.39 ~ 35 0
93 [VV2006] J233517.7+010308 Sy1 23 35 17.6300284488 +01 03 07.600491864   18.8 19.21 18.7   ~ 31 0
94 [VV2006] J234145.5-004640 QSO 23 41 45.5163804312 -00 46 40.584076248   18.04 17.93     ~ 40 0
95 4C -01.61 BLL 23 51 56.1224889360 -01 09 13.315371768   16.83 16.59     ~ 380 1
96 [VV96] J235438.4+005747 QSO 23 54 39.1481792352 +00 57 51.946595244   19.68 19.47     ~ 36 0
97 SDSS J235441.54-000448.7 Sy1 23 54 41.5434263304 -00 04 48.744376392   19.84 19.07     ~ 32 0
98 SDSS J235732.79-002845.4 QSO 23 57 32.7938187048 -00 28 45.521873148   18.4 19.56 18.8   ~ 28 0

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