Varying Alpha Driven by the Dirac-Born-Infeld Scalar Field

TL;DR

This paper explores how the Dirac-Born-Infeld scalar field can cause the fine structure constant to vary over cosmic time, analyzing different couplings and comparing with observational data.

Contribution

It introduces a general framework for varying alpha driven by the DBI scalar field and compares it with quintessence models, highlighting relaxed constraints due to relativistic effects.

Findings

Various evolution histories of Δα/α are compatible with observations.

Relativistic corrections in DBI models relax coupling constraints.

The model broadens the scope of viable varying alpha theories.

Abstract

Since about ten years ago, varying $\alpha$ theories attracted many attentions, mainly due to the first observational evidence from the quasar absorption spectra that the fine structure ``constant'' might change with cosmological time. In this work, we investigate the cosmic evolution of $\alpha$ driven by the Dirac-Born-Infeld (DBI) scalar field. To be general, we consider various couplings between the DBI scalar field and the electromagnetic field. We also confront the resulting $\Delta\alpha/\alpha$ with the observational constraints, and find that various cosmological evolution histories of $\Delta\alpha/\alpha$ are allowed. Comparing with the case of varying $\alpha$ driven by quintessence, the corresponding constraints on the parameters of coupling have been relaxed, thanks to the relativistic correction of the DBI scalar field.