Comment on 'Limits on the Time Variation of the Electromagnetic Fine-Structure Constant in the Low Energy Limit from Absorption Lines in the Spectra of Distant Quasars'

摘要

In their Letter [1] (also [2]), Srianand et al. analyzed optical spectra of heavy-elements in 23 absorbers along background quasar sight lines, reporting limits on variations in the fine-structure constant, a: Δa/a = (-0.06 ± 0.06) × 10~(-5). This would contradict previous evidence [e.g., [3,4]] for a smaller a in the absorption clouds compared to the laboratory: Δa/a = (-0.57 ± 0.11) × 10~(-5) [5]. Here we demonstrate basic flaws in the analysis of [1] using the same data and absorption profile fits.