No description available.

Precision cosmology challenges many aspects of fundamental physics. In particular, quasar absorption lines test the assumed constancy of fundamental constants over cosmological time-scales and distances. Until recently, the most reliable technique was the alkali doublet (AD) method where the measured doublet separation probes variations in the fine-structure constant, ???? e2/??c. However, the recently introduced many-multiplet (MM) method provides several advantages, including a demonstrated ???10-fold precision gain. This thesis presents detailed MM analyses of 3 independent Keck/HIRES samples containing 128 absorption systems with 0.2 &gt zabs &gt 3.7. We find 5.6 ?? statistical evidence for a smaller ?? in the absorption clouds: ????/?? = (-0.574 ?? 0.102) x 10-5. All three samples separately yield consistent, significant ????/??. The data marginally prefer constant d??/dt rather than constant ????/??. The two-point correlation function for ?? and the angular distribution of ????/?? give no evidence for spatial variations. We also analyse 21 Keck/HIRES Si iv doublets, obtaining a 3-fold relative precision gain over previous AD studies: ????/?? = (-0.5 ?? 1.3) x 10-5 for 2.0 &gt zabs &gt 3.1. Our statistical evidence for varying ?? requires careful consideration of systematic errors. Modelling demonstrates that atmospheric dispersion is potentially important. However, the quasar spectra suggest a negligible effect on ????/??. Cosmological variation in Mg isotopic abundances may affect ????/?? at zabs &gt 1.8. Galactic observations and theory suggest diminished 25;26Mg abundances in the low metallicity quasar absorbers. Removing 25;26Mg isotopes yields more negative ????/?? values. Overall, known systematic errors can not explain our results. We also constrain variations in y ?? ?? 2gp, comparing H i 21-cm and millimetrewave molecular absorption in 2 systems. Fitting both the H i and molecular lines yields the tightest, most reliable current constraints: ??y/y = (-0.20??0.44)x10-5 and (-0.16??0.54)x10-5 at zabs = 0.2467 and 0.6847 respectively. Possible line-ofsight velocity differences between the H i and molecular absorbing regions dominate these 1 ?? errors. A larger sample of mm/H i comparisons is required to reliably quantify this uncertainty and provide a potentially crucial check on the MM result.

Precision cosmology challenges many aspects of fundamental physics. In particular, quasar absorption lines test the assumed constancy of fundamental constants over cosmological time-scales and distances. Until recently, the most reliable technique was the alkali doublet (AD) method where the measured doublet separation probes variations in the fine-structure constant, ???? e2/??c. However, the recently introduced many-multiplet (MM) method provides several advantages, including a demonstrated ???10-fold precision gain. This thesis presents detailed MM analyses of 3 independent Keck/HIRES samples containing 128 absorption systems with 0.2 &gt zabs &gt 3.7. We find 5.6 ?? statistical evidence for a smaller ?? in the absorption clouds: ????/?? = (-0.574 ?? 0.102) x 10-5. All three samples separately yield consistent, significant ????/??. The data marginally prefer constant d??/dt rather than constant ????/??. The two-point correlation function for ?? and the angular distribution of ????/?? give no evidence for spatial variations. We also analyse 21 Keck/HIRES Si iv doublets, obtaining a 3-fold relative precision gain over previous AD studies: ????/?? = (-0.5 ?? 1.3) x 10-5 for 2.0 &gt zabs &gt 3.1. Our statistical evidence for varying ?? requires careful consideration of systematic errors. Modelling demonstrates that atmospheric dispersion is potentially important. However, the quasar spectra suggest a negligible effect on ????/??. Cosmological variation in Mg isotopic abundances may affect ????/?? at zabs &gt 1.8. Galactic observations and theory suggest diminished 25;26Mg abundances in the low metallicity quasar absorbers. Removing 25;26Mg isotopes yields more negative ????/?? values. Overall, known systematic errors can not explain our results. We also constrain variations in y ?? ?? 2gp, comparing H i 21-cm and millimetrewave molecular absorption in 2 systems. Fitting both the H i and molecular lines yields the tightest, most reliable current constraints: ??y/y = (-0.20??0.44)x10-5 and (-0.16??0.54)x10-5 at zabs = 0.2467 and 0.6847 respectively. Possible line-ofsight velocity differences between the H i and molecular absorbing regions dominate these 1 ?? errors. A larger sample of mm/H i comparisons is required to reliably quantify this uncertainty and provide a potentially crucial check on the MM result.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of New South Wales, 2002. / Also available online.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--York University, 2009. Graduate Programme in Physics and Astronomy. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 219-222). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&res_dat=xri:pqdiss&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:NR51680

Spectroscopic measurements of the helium atom are performed to high precision using an atomic beam apparatus and electro-optic laser techniques. These measurements, in addition to serving as a test of helium theory, also provide a new determination of the fine structure constant α. An apparatus was designed and built to overcome limitations encountered in a previous experiment. Not only did this allow an improved level of precision but also enabled new consistency checks, including an extremely useful measurement in 3He. I discuss the details of the experimental setup along with the major changes and improvements. A new value for the J = 0 to 2 fine structure interval in the 23P state of 4He is measured to be 31 908 131.25(30) kHz. The 300 Hz precision of this result represents an improvement over previous results by more than a factor of three. Combined with the latest theoretical calculations, this yields a new determination of α with better than 5 ppb uncertainty, α-1 = 137.035 999 55(64).

No description available.

Cassini-RPWS high resolution (20 Hz) Langmuir probe data was analyzed to find the source of fast variations in the electron density especially in the Enceladus plume region. The spatial scale on the variations is between 1 and 10 km in size. The approaches were to check for correlations between the plasma density and its variations on one hand, and boundary conditions such as the cracks on Enceladus surface as well as dust and single jets on the other hand. None of these mechanisms could be identified as the only or dominating source of observed fine structure, though partial correlation can sometimes be found and the comparison to dust presence is qualitative more than quantitative. Along the way the charging mechanism in the plume was found to be most likely due to solar UV ionization since the maximum electron density was found to be around 200km altitude. Also the deformation of the plume in the corotation direction is visible in the 20 Hz data.

Dissertation made openly available per email from author, 6/8/2016.

published_or_final_version / abstract / Physics / Master / Master of Philosophy