Schedule Mar 12, 2013
Effects of Space-time Variation of Fundamental Constants and Violation of Parity and Time-reversal in Molecules
Victor Flambaum (New South Wales)

This talk covers three different topics:

  1. New results for variation of the fine structure constant alpha based on the quasar absorption spectra data indicate the variation of alpha in space. The spatial variation can explain fine tuning of the fundamental constants which allows humans (and any life) to appear. We appeared in the area of the Universe where the values of the fundamental constants are consistent with our existence. There is an agreement between the results obtained using different telescopes and different redshifts. These astrophysical results may be used to predict the variation effects in molecules where they are significantly enhanced.
  2. Molecular experiments can also be used to detect nuclear anapole moment - magnetic multipole which violates fundamental symmetries: parity (P) and charge conjugation (C). These measurements will give us unknown strength of parity violating nuclear forces and may provide new test of the Standard model.
  3. Measurements of time-reversal violating interactions and electric dipole moments (EDM) in molecular experiments present a possibility to search for physics beyond the Standard model. We explain different mechanisms generating atomic EDM and present results of recent measurements testing models of CP violation. New generation of experiments with enhanced effects will put popular models (e.g. supersymmetry) to crucial test.

  4. Other video options

    To begin viewing slides, click on the first slide below. (Or, view as pdf.)


    [01] [02] [03] [04] [05] [06] [07] [08] [09] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] [25] [26] [27] [28] [29] [30] [31] [32] [33] [34] [35] [36] [37] [38] [39] [40] [41] [42] [43] [44]

    Author entry (protected)