Probing the Time Variation of a Fine Structure Constant Using Galaxy Clusters and the Quintessence Model

We explore a possible time variation of the fine structure constant (alpha (math) e(2)/hc) using the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect measurements of galaxy clusters along with their X-ray observations. Specifically, the ratio of the integrated Comptonization parameter YSZDA2 and its X-ray counterpart Y-X is used as an observable to constrain the bounds on the variation of alpha. Considering the violation of the cosmic distance duality relation, this ratio depends on the fine structure constant of similar to alpha(3). We use the quintessence model to provide the origin of alpha time variation. In order to give a robust test on alpha variation, two galaxy cluster samples, the 61 clusters provided by the Planck collaboration and the 58 clusters detected by the South Pole Telescope (SPT), are collected for analysis. Their X-ray observations are given by the XMM-Newton survey. Our results give zeta = -0.203(-0.099)(+0.101) for the Planck sample and zeta = -0.043(-0.148)(+0.165) for the SPT sample, indicating that alpha is constant with redshift within 3 sigma and 1 sigma for the two samples, respectively.

Automated summary

The researchers explored the time variation of the fine structure constant using measurements of galaxy clusters and X-ray observations. By comparing the ratio of YSZDA2 and Y-X, they found that the fine structure constant alpha remains constant with redshift within 3 sigma and 1 sigma for the two samples, respectively. This indicates a robust test on alpha variation.