Constraint on a variation of the proton-to-electron mass ratio from H2 absorption towards quasar Q2348-011

TL;DR

This study analyzes H2 absorption in a high-redshift quasar to constrain potential variations in the proton-to-electron mass ratio, finding no significant deviation from current laboratory values.

Contribution

It presents the most complex high-redshift H2 absorption system analyzed to date and models multiple velocity components simultaneously for the first time.

Findings

No significant variation in mu detected (dmu/mu = -0.68 +/- 2.78) x 10^-5.

Results are consistent with previous measurements across different sight-lines.

Combined constraints suggest dmu/mu < 10^-5 for z = 2--3.

Abstract

Molecular hydrogen (H2) absorption features observed in the line-of-sight to Q2348-011 at redshift zabs = 2.426 are analysed for the purpose of detecting a possible variation of the proton-to-electron mass ratio mu=mp/me. By its structure Q2348-011 is the most complex analysed H2 absorption system at high redshift so far, featuring at least seven distinctly visible molecular velocity components. The multiple velocity components associated with each transition of H2 were modeled simultaneously by means of a comprehensive fitting method. The fiducial model resulted in dmu/mu = (-0.68 +/- 2.78) x 10^-5, showing no sign that mu in this particular absorber is different from its current laboratory value. Although not as tight a constraint as other absorbers have recently provided, this result is consistent with the results from all previously analysed H2-bearing sight-lines. Combining all such measurements yields a constraint of dmu/mu < 10^-5 for the redshift range z = (2--3).