Varying Alpha: New Constraints from Seasonal Variations

TL;DR

This paper investigates how seasonal variations in the Sun's gravitational field affect constraints on the possible time variation of fundamental constants, using atomic clock data and comparing with other observational bounds.

Contribution

It introduces a method to incorporate seasonal gravitational effects into constraints on fundamental constants, strengthening previous bounds.

Findings

Seasonal variations improve constraints on constant variations.

Atomic clock data provide competitive bounds.

Comparison with astrophysical tests shows consistency.

Abstract

We analyse the constraints obtained from new atomic clock data on the possible time variation of the fine structure `constant' and the electron-proton mass ratio and show how they are strengthened when the seasonal variation of Sun's gravitational field at the Earth's surface is taken into account. We compare these bounds with those obtainable from tests of the Weak Equivalence Principle and high-redshift observations of quasar absorption spectra consistent with time variations in the fine structure constant.