Enhanced effect of temporal variation of the fine structure constant and the strong interaction in 229Th

The relative effects of the variation of the fine structure constant alpha=e(2)/hc and the dimensionless strong interaction parameter m(q)/Lambda(QCD) are enhanced by 5-6 orders of magnitude in a very narrow ultraviolet transition between the ground and the first excited states in the Th-229 nucleus. It may be possible to investigate this transition with laser spectroscopy. Such an experiment would have the potential of improving the sensitivity to temporal variation of the fundamental constants by many orders of magnitude.