Constraint on a varying proton-to-electron mass ratio from H2 and HD absorption at z = 2.34

TL;DR

This study analyzes molecular hydrogen absorption at redshift 2.34 to constrain possible variations in the proton-to-electron mass ratio over 11 billion years, finding no significant change within measurement uncertainties.

Contribution

It provides the most stringent constraint to date on the variation of mu using a comprehensive analysis of H2 and HD lines, improving previous limits by an order of magnitude.

Findings

No significant variation in mu detected.

Measurement uncertainty includes systematic effects.

Results consistent with a constant mu over 11 Gyrs.

Abstract

Molecular hydrogen absorption in the damped Lyman-alpha system at z = 2.34 towards quasar Q1232+082 is analyzed in order to derive a constraint on a possible temporal variation of the proton-to-electron mass ratio, mu, over cosmological timescales. Some 106 H2 and HD transitions, covering the range 3290-3726 \AA, are analyzed with a comprehensive fitting technique, allowing for the inclusion of overlapping lines associated with hydrogen molecules, the atomic hydrogen lines in the Lyman-alpha forest as well as metal lines. The absorption model, based on the most recent and accurate rest wavelength for H2 and HD transitions, delivers a value of dmu/mu = (19 +/- 9 +/- 5)x 10^(-6). An attempt to correct the spectrum for possible long-range wavelength distortions is made and the uncertainty on the distortion correction is included in the total systematic uncertainty. The present result is an order of magnitude more stringent than a previous measurement from the analysis of this absorption system, based on a line-by-line comparison of only 12 prominent and isolated H2 absorption lines. This is consistent with other measurements of dmu/mu from 11 other absorption systems in showing a null variation of the proton-to-electron mass ratio over a look-back time of 11 Gyrs.