fundamental constants

first basic constant in physics

second basic constant Discovery of electron

Arnold Sommerfeld, 1916 third constant

8

Nr. 137 Kantonspital Zuerich Wolfgang Pauli

electroweak theory QED Weak Interactions

1 mass of weak boson 1 mass of “Higgs” boson 2 coupling constants 1 electron mass

6 quarks

proton mass field energy (gluons and quarks)

fundamental constant:

7 fundamental constants in strong interactions

Standard Theory

Newtons constant G 1 fine structure constant 1 coupling constant of strong interaction 1 coupling constant of weak interaction 1 mass of W boson 1 mass of Higgs boson 1 masses of 6 quarks and 6 leptons 12 flavor mixing of quarks 4 flavor mixing of leptons 6

weak bosons quarks leptons Higgs boson ?

alpha depends on energy

 1.8 billion years  1.8 billion years 3.7% U % U 235 (today 0.72 %) (today 0.72 %) Moderator: water from river Oklo Moderator: water from river Oklo

Change of alpha: (if no other parameters change) (if no other parameters change) ==> constraint questionable

Time variation of natural constants?Time variation of natural constants? fine structure atomic levels Quasars billion light years

Quasar absorption spectra Light

fine structure: Fe, Ni, Mg, Sn, A

Grand Unification electroweak interactions QCDQCD

grand unification 1/ coupling constant

grand unification

grand unfication

Grand unification

Calmet, Fritzsch Langacker, Segre (2002)

Change of magnetic moments of atomic nuclei per year

Change ( unification scale )

Cesium clocks Cesium clocks

Hyperfine transition Hyperfine transition  magnetic moment  magnetic moment of cesium nucleus of cesium nucleus  time change  time change of QCD scale of QCD scale

Difference: 3 oscillations per day

MPQ-Experiment 486 nm dye laser in hydrogen spectrometer Reference: cesium clock Pharao LPTF Paris Hydrogen: 1s-2s transition (18) Hz

simultaneous change unified coupling constant + unification scale ( E. Witten)

superstring theories partial cancellation

Reinhold et al. PRL 96 (2006) 2 quasars - 12 billion years 

same sign as MPQ result

The masses of atomic nuclei will depend on time!

28 constants 28 constants 14 constants 14 constants  mass parameters  mass parameters

time variation time variation alpha alpha time variation time variation QCD scale QCD scale

many fundamental many fundamental „constants“ „constants“  functions of time ?

Murray Gell-Mann Fundamental Constants Cosmic Accidents ?