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Cosmological constraints on Lorentz violation in electrodynamics.
1Physics Department, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, USA.
Physical Review Letters
|December 12, 2001
Summary
Astronomers used spectropolarimetry to test the Standard Model extension, finding no evidence of Lorentz violation. This sets new limits on fundamental physics, constraining potential violations to below 3 x 10^-32.
Area of Science:
- Cosmology
- Particle Physics
- Astrophysics
Background:
- The Standard Model of particle physics describes fundamental particles and forces.
- Lorentz invariance is a cornerstone of modern physics, asserting that the laws of physics are the same for all observers.
- Deviations from Lorentz invariance could indicate new physics beyond the Standard Model.
Purpose of the Study:
- To constrain the electromagnetic sector of a general Lorentz-violating Standard Model extension.
- To search for potential violations of Lorentz invariance using astrophysical observations.
Main Methods:
- Spectropolarimetry was performed on cosmological sources across infrared, optical, and ultraviolet wavelengths.
- Analysis focused on identifying signatures of modified electromagnetic propagation due to Lorentz violation.
Main Results:
- The study successfully bounded coefficients for Lorentz violation.
- The derived upper limit for Lorentz violation coefficients is less than 3 x 10^-32.
Conclusions:
- Current astrophysical data provides stringent constraints on Lorentz-violating extensions of the Standard Model.
- No evidence for Lorentz violation was found, supporting the validity of fundamental physical principles at current sensitivity levels.