论文标题
从加速度计实验的电磁精细结构常数中宇宙学空间梯度的强大实验室限制
Robust laboratory limits on a cosmological spatial gradient in the electromagnetic fine-structure constant from accelerometer experiments
论文作者
论文摘要
类星体吸收光谱数据表明在宇宙长度尺度上电磁细胞结构常数$α$中存在空间梯度。我们指出的是，加速度计（包括扭转摆和原子干涉仪）的实验可以用作自然基本基础中宇宙学空间梯度的敏感探针，这会引起对测试量的等效性基本侵入力。使用来自Eöt-wash实验的实验室数据，我们将$α$沿任何方向的空间梯度限制为$ | \ boldsymbol {\ nabla}α/α| <6.6 \ times 10^{ - 4}〜（\ textrm {glyr}）^{ - 1} $ at $ 95 \％$ $置信度级别。我们的结果代表了基于时钟的搜索沿观察到的宇宙学$α$ - 二波尔轴的$α$的空间梯度的搜索，这比实验室界限的数量级改善。在可预见的将来，对加速度计实验的改进有望提供足够的敏感性来测试天体物理数据中看到的宇宙学$α$ - 二极管。
Quasar absorption spectral data indicate the presence of a spatial gradient in the electromagnetic fine-structure constant $α$ on cosmological length scales. We point out that experiments with accelerometers, including torsion pendula and atom interferometers, can be used as sensitive probes of cosmological spatial gradients in the fundamental constants of nature, which give rise to equivalence-principle-violating forces on test masses. Using laboratory data from the Eöt-Wash experiment, we constrain spatial gradients in $α$ along any direction to be $| \boldsymbol{\nabla} α/ α| < 6.6 \times 10^{-4}~(\textrm{Glyr})^{-1}$ at $95\%$ confidence level. Our result represents an order of magnitude improvement over laboratory bounds from clock-based searches for a spatial gradient in $α$ directed along the observed cosmological $α$-dipole axis. Improvements to accelerometer experiments in the foreseeable future are expected to provide sufficient sensitivity to test the cosmological $α$-dipole seen in astrophysical data.
