fundamental constants

first basic constant first basic constant in physicsin physics

2

31110674.6

skg

mG

second basic second basic constant constant

MeVelectronm 511.0)(

Discovery of electron

hce /22

ArnoldArnold Sommerfeld, Sommerfeld, 19161916 third

constant

88

1,137

1

4

2

ch

e

137/1

15.12.1958

Nr.137Kantonspital Zuerich

Wolfgang Pauli

em

electroweak

theory

QED Weak Interactions

1 mass of weak boson1 mass of “Higgs” boson2 coupling constants1 electron mass

6 quarks6 quarks

b

t

s

c

d

u

FFqmieAiqL

4

1)(

aa

a

a

GGqmAigiqL4

1)

2(

u

ud

d

protonprotonmass mass

field energy field energy

(gluons and quarks)(gluons and quarks)

2)()( cMquarksEgluonsE p

MeVconstM c _860.

c

fundamental fundamental constant:constant:

c

7 fundamental constants 7 fundamental constants

in strong interactionsin strong interactions

bsd

tcu

c

mmm

mmm

elmssdduup cmcmcmccM

Standard Theory

Newtons constant G 1 Newtons constant G 1 fine structure constant 1fine structure constant 1coupling constant of strong interaction 1coupling constant of strong interaction 1coupling constant of weak interaction 1coupling constant of weak interaction 1mass of W boson 1mass of W boson 1mass of Higgs boson 1mass of Higgs boson 1masses of 6 quarks and 6 leptons 12 masses of 6 quarks and 6 leptons 12 flavor mixing of quarks 4flavor mixing of quarks 4flavor mixing of leptons flavor mixing of leptons 66

um

s

dm

tmbm

em

m

cm

u

d

sm

m

wM

HM2m

1m

3m

sun

atm

choozl

2

3

NG

w

weak bosons

quarks leptons

Higgs boson ?

alpha depends onalpha depends on

energyenergy

( ) 1/127.8ZM

1.8 billion years1.8 billion years

3.7% U 235 3.7% U 235 (today 0.72 %)(today 0.72 %)

Moderator: water from river OkloModerator: water from river Oklo

710)()(

nowOklo

Change of alpha: Change of alpha:

(if no other parameters change)(if no other parameters change)

==>==>constraint questionableconstraint questionable

year/10/ 16

fine structure atomic levels

Quasars5 -11 billion light years

Quasar absorption spectraQuasar absorption spectra

Light

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

year/102.1

1012.054.0

15

5

Grand Unification

electroweak interactions QC

D

grandunification

1/ coupling constant

?

grandunification

grand unfication

Grand unification

Calmet, Fritzsch Langacker, Segre (2002)

GUT

GUT

s

s const

.3

822

22 3

8

s

s

GUT

GUT

s

s const

.3

822

Change of magnetic Change of magnetic moments of atomic moments of atomic

nuclei per yearnuclei per year143,9 10

8.38c

c

Change Change ( unification scale )( unification scale )

31c

c

31c

c

year

year

/10:~

/10:~

14

15

Cesium Cesium clocksclocks

Hyperfine transition Hyperfine transition magnetic moment magnetic moment

of cesium nucleusof cesium nucleus

time change time change

of QCD scaleof QCD scale

Difference: 3 oscillations per day

MPQ-ExperimentMPQ-Experiment

486 nm dye laser in hydrogen486 nm dye laser in hydrogen

spectrometerspectrometer

Reference: cesium clock Pharao LPTF Reference: cesium clock Pharao LPTF ParisParis

Hydrogen: 1s-2s transitionHydrogen: 1s-2s transition

2 466 061 413 187 127 (18) Hz2 466 061 413 187 127 (18) Hz

15 1/ : (2.4 6.8) 10d dt yr

15 1/ : (2.4 6.8) 10d dt yr

14/ : 2 10d dt

simultaneous change

unified coupling constant

+

unification scale

( E. Witten)

superstring theories superstring theories partial cancellation partial cancellation

2 28 1/ : / : ( .) _ / :

3 2s s Gut Gutd dt d dt const d dt

15/ : (3 1) 10 /d dt year

http://www.spiegel.de/fotostrecke/fotostrecke-54780-2.html

Reinhold et al. PRL 96 (2006)Reinhold et al. PRL 96 (2006)

2 quasars - 12 billion years 2 quasars - 12 billion years

5/ (2 0.6) 10

e

p

m

m

15/ 3 10 / year

15/ 3 10 / year

same sign as MPQ result

The masses of atomic nuclei The masses of atomic nuclei will depend on time!will depend on time!

28 constants 28 constants

14 constants 14 constants mass parametersmass parameters

time time variation variation alphaalpha

time time variation variation QCD scaleQCD scale

15/ 3 10 / year year/103 15

many fundamental many fundamental

„ „constants“ constants“ functions of functions of

timetime??

Murray Gell-Mann

Fundamental Constants Cosmic Accidents ?

nG

s

em