Strong Limits on a Variable Strong Limits on a Variable Proton to Electron Mass Ratio (Proton to Electron Mass Ratio ()) from Ammonia Inversion Linesfrom Ammonia Inversion Lines

C. Henkel (MPIfR, Bonn)

NH3

Ratio of strong to weak scale

Common Method Compare frequencies of vibrational and rotational molecular transitions

H2 in Quasars(Vibro-Rotational Absorption Lines)

Extragalactic Ammonia (NH3)

First polyatomic molecule detected in interstellar space (1968)

• Large number of transitions within a limited frequency range (inversion lines)• Wide range of excitation conditions• Widespread spatial distribution• Hyperfine structure allows us to directly determine optical depths• Densities and gas kinetic temperatures can be derived

NH3

NH3

(18,18)3130 K

NH3

Sgr B2(T.L. Wilson et al. 2006)

NH3

TMC-1C

λ 1.3 cm

( gp/)2

A gravitational lens at z = 0.68466 (ze =0.944)

Look back time: 6 109 yr

B0218+357

Frye, Welch, Broadhurst 1997, ApJ 478, L25

Lens at z = 0.88582HI absorption also at z = 0.19(zblazar = 2.507)Dim r ~ 0.5” Einstein ring

PKS 1830-211:

NH3 (1,1) + (2,2)

23 K / 64 K

z = 0.88582

J. Braatz

NH3 (3,3)

123 Kz = 0.88582

NH3 (4,4)

199 Kz = 0.88582

NH3 (5,5)

294 Kz = 0.88582

NH3 (6,6)

406 Kz = 0.88582

NH3 (7,7)

535 Kz = 0.88582

NH3 (8,8)

683 Kz = 0.88582

NH3 (9,9)

848 Kz = 0.88582

NH3 (10,10)

1031 Kz = 0.88582

12CO

13CO

= mp/me

NH3 inversion versus rotational lines:

3.46 (Δ/) = (zinv – zrot) / (1 + z) = ΔV/c

(Early discussions with J. Chengalur in Epping)

(Flambaum & Kozlov 2007, Phys. Rev. Let. 95, 240801)

B0218+357

Complementaryrotational lines

Multicomponent analysis

B0218+357

Δ/ < 2.7 10-6 (3σ limit)(Δ/Δt)/ < 4.5 10 -16 yr-1 (3σ limit)

(Murphy, Flambaum, S. Muller et al. 2008, Sci 320, 1611)

Strength: A very thorough analysis

Caveats: Few NH3 and few rotational lines (chemistry?) Different frequencies (cm versus mm-waves) Optically thin versus optically thick lines

Redshifted frequencies between 12.56 and 15.17 GHz

Background continuum between 6.5 and 8 Jy

NH3

PKS1830-211

τapparent: 0.0008 – 0.03 (NH3) 0.35 for prominent (mm-wave lines) (Wiklind & Combes 1996, 1998) and with 0.1 at dm-wavelengths (Chengalur et al. 1999).

NH3

PKS1830-211

9.00.1, 8.60.5

7.40.2, 10.50.4

8.60.1

8.40.2, 9.10.7

8.20.3, 8.70.5

8.10.2, 8.50.6

10.90.4

8.50.6

8.80.7

10.22.0

NH3

NH3

PKS1830-211

APEX

Ground rotational transitionof NH3

Δ/ 5.7 10-6

(3σ limit)

Strength: One moleculeCaveats: 15 GHz versus 300 GHz One rotational line Limited S/N ratio

Menten et al.2008, A&A492, 725

Effelsb

ergRotational spectra of othermolecules at nearby frequencies

SO J = 1−0

SO J = 2−1

C34S J = 1−0

H13CO+ J = 1−0

H13CN J = 1−0

HN13C J = 1−0

PKS1830−211HC3N

3.8 K < TCMB < 7.2 K

Expected value: 5.14 K

SiO (6.8 0.3) KC34S (7.2 0.4) KH13CO+ (3.8 0.3) KH13CN (4.8 0.5) K

Unweighted Mean: (5.65 0.81) K

[TCMB = 2.73 (1 + z)]

NH3 Other Species

<V>NH3 = 8.81 0.23 km/s <V>HC3N = 8.73 0.43 km/s<V>others = 9.07 0.38 km/s

<V>NH3,low = 8.82 0.45 km/s<V>NH3,high = 8.94 0.27 km/s

NH3 + HC3N:Δ/ < 1.4 10-6 (3σ, NH3, HC3N)

Also including the other lines Δ/ < 1.0 10-6

Strength: Many molecular lines of both kinds Similar frequencies Optical depths << 1 No apparent velocity shift with excitation Small time interval between the measurements

Caveats: The excitation of the inversion lines is higher than those of the rotational lines A thorough multicomponent analysis is still missing

Δ/ < 3.0 10-5 (z = 2−3)

Δ/ < 1.0 10-6 (z = 0.89)

Δ/ < 3.0 10-5 (z = 2−3)

Δ/ < 1.0 10-6 (z = 0.89)

Δ/ < 3.0 10-5 (z = 2−3)

Δ/ 1.0 10-8 (z = 0.00)

NH3

TMC-1C

λ 1.3 cm

HC3N J=21TMC-1C

λ 1.3 cm

Preliminary Results:

Molaro, Levshakov & Kozlov (astro-ph/0907.1192)Levshakov, Molaro, & Kozlov (astro-ph/0808.0583)

NH3, C2H, HC3N, N2H+: 35 – 53 m/s !!! Δ/ 4 10-8 !!!

Accuracy to be achieved: Δ/ 10-8 !!! 10 m/s

Chameleon Fields

Quintessential Fieldvarying in time and space?

Coupling with matter could change fundamentalquantities locally.

Thank You!