The UVES Large Program for Testing Fundamental Physics: I Bounds on a change in alpha towards quasar HE 2217-2818

Understand

Absorption line systems detected in quasar spectra can be used to compare the value of the fine-structure constant, {\alpha}, measured today on Earth with its value in distant galaxies.

• In recent years, some evidence has emerged of small temporal and also spatial variations of {\alpha} on cosmological scales which may reach a fractional level of ~ 10 ppm (parts per million).
• To test these claims we are conducting a Large Program with the VLT UVES .
• We are obtaining high-resolution (R ~ 60000 and high signal-to-noise ratio (S/N ~ 100) UVES spectra calibrated specifically for this purpose.