By measuring the wavelength differences between distinct absorption lines from five stars orbiting the supermassive black hole in our Galactic Center, researchers have constrained a variation of the fine structure constant between the stars’ location and Earth. This study suggests an innovative way to search for a variation of the fine structure constant. In particular, this is the first time a search for a variation of a constant of Nature is performed around a black hole, in a high gravitational potential. By using measurements from the telescopes Gemini, Keck and Subaru in Hawaii, the researches have obtained a constraint on the relative variation of the fine structure constant below 10^-5.
The result is published in Physical Review Letter and is illustrated as below:

Credits : Nicolle R. Fuller, National Science Foundation

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Researcher : aurelien.hees@obspm.fr