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arXiv · gr-qc/0512117

Local Experiments See Cosmologically Varying Constants

Douglas J. Shaw·John D. Barrow
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Abstract

We describe a rigorous construction, using matched asymptotic expansions, which establishes under very general conditions that local terrestrial and solar-system experiments will measure the effects of varying `constants' of Nature occurring on cosmological scales to computable precision. In particular, `constants' driven by scalar fields will still be found to evolve in time when observed within virialised structures like clusters, galaxies, and planetary systems. This provides a justification for combining cosmological and terrestrial constraints on the possible time variation of many assumed `constants' of Nature, including the fine structure constant and Newton's gravitation constant.

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Douglas J. Shaw, John D. Barrow. 2005-12-21. Local Experiments See Cosmologically Varying Constants. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physletb.2006.07.016

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