@article{RahmaniWendtSrianandetal.2013, author = {Rahmani, H. and Wendt, Martin and Srianand, R. and Noterdaeme, P. and Petitjean, P. and Molaro, P. and Whitmore, J. B. and Murphy, M. T. and Centurion, Martin and Fathivavsari, H. and D'Odorico, S. and Evans, T. M. and Levshakov, S. A. and Lopez, S. and Martins, C. J. A. P. and Reimers, D. and Vladilo, G.}, title = {The UVES large program for testing fundamental physics - II. Constraints on a change in mu towards quasar HE 0027-1836}, series = {Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society}, volume = {435}, journal = {Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society}, number = {1}, publisher = {Oxford Univ. Press}, address = {Oxford}, issn = {0035-8711}, doi = {10.1093/mnras/stt1356}, pages = {861 -- 878}, year = {2013}, abstract = {We present an accurate analysis of the H-2 absorption lines from the z(abs) similar to 2.4018 damped Ly alpha system towards HE 0027-1836 observed with the Very Large Telescope Ultraviolet and Visual Echelle Spectrograph (VLT/UVES) as a part of the European Southern Observatory Large Programme 'The UVES large programme for testing fundamental physics' to constrain the variation of proton-to-electron mass ratio, mu m(p)/m(e). We perform cross-correlation analysis between 19 individual exposures taken over three years and the combined spectrum to check the wavelength calibration stability. We notice the presence of a possible wavelength-dependent velocity drift especially in the data taken in 2012. We use available asteroids spectra taken with UVES close to our observations to confirm and quantify this effect. We consider single-and two-component Voigt profiles to model the observed H-2 absorption profiles. We use both linear regression analysis and Voigt profile fitting where Delta mu/mu is explicitly considered as an additional fitting parameter. The two-component model is marginally favoured by the statistical indicators and we get Delta mu/mu = -2.5 +/- 8.1(stat) +/- 6.2(sys) ppm. When we apply the correction to the wavelength-dependent velocity drift, we find Delta mu/mu = -7.6 +/- 8.1(stat) +/- 6.3(sys) ppm. It will be important to check the extent to which the velocity drift we notice in this study is present in UVES data used for previous Delta mu/mu measurements.}, language = {en} } @article{MolaroCenturionWhitmoreetal.2013, author = {Molaro, P. and Centurion, Martin and Whitmore, J. B. and Evans, T. M. and Murphy, M. T. and Agafonova, I. I. and Bonifacio, P. and D'Odorico, S. and Levshakov, S. A. and Lopez, S. and Martins, C. J. A. P. and Petitjean, P. and Rahmani, H. and Reimers, D. and Srianand, R. and Vladilo, G. and Wendt, Martin}, title = {The UVES Large Program for testing fundamental physics I. Bounds on a change in alpha towards quasar HE 221-2818}, series = {Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal}, volume = {555}, journal = {Astronomy and astrophysics : an international weekly journal}, number = {4}, publisher = {EDP Sciences}, address = {Les Ulis}, issn = {0004-6361}, doi = {10.1051/0004-6361/201321351}, pages = {17}, year = {2013}, abstract = {Context. 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 in alpha on cosmological scales. These variations may reach a fractional level of approximate to 10 ppm (parts per million). Aims. To test these claims we are conducting a Large Program of observations with the Very Large Telescope's Ultraviolet and Visual Echelle Spectrograph (UVES), and are obtaining high-resolution (R approximate to 60 000) and high signal-to-noise ratio (S/N approximate to 100) UVES spectra calibrated specifically for this purpose. Here we analyse the first complete quasar spectrum from this programme, that of HE 2217-2818. Methods. We applied the many multiplet method to measure alpha in five absorption systems towards this quasar: z(abs) = 0.7866, 0.9424, 1.5558, 1.6279, and 1.6919. Results. The most precise result is obtained for the absorber at z(abs) = 1.6919 where 3 Fe II transitions and Al II lambda 1670 have high S/N and provide a wide range of sensitivities to alpha. The absorption profile is complex with several very narrow features, and it requires 32 velocity components to be fitted to the data. We also conducted a range of tests to estimate the systematic error budget. Our final result for the relative variation in alpha in this system is Delta alpha/alpha = +1.3 +/- 2.4(stat) +/- 1.0(sys) ppm. This is one of the tightest current bounds on alpha-variation from an individual absorber. A second, separate approach to the data reduction, calibration, and analysis of this system yielded a slightly different result of -3.8 +/- 2.1(stat) ppm, possibly suggesting a larger systematic error component than our tests indicated. This approach used an additional 3 Fe II transitions, parts of which were masked due to contamination by telluric features. Restricting this analysis to the Fe II transitions alone and using a modified absorption profile model gave a result that is consistent with the first approach, Delta alpha/alpha = +1.1 +/- 2.6(stat) ppm. The four other absorbers have simpler absorption profiles, with fewer and broader features, and offer transitions with a narrower range of sensitivities to alpha. They therefore provide looser bounds on Delta alpha/alpha at the greater than or similar to 10 ppm precision level. Conclusions. The absorbers towards quasar HE 2217-2818 reveal no evidence of any variation in alpha at the 3-ppm precision level (1 sigma confidence). If the recently reported 10-ppm dipolar variation in alpha across the sky is correct, the expectation at this sky position is (3.2-5.4) +/- 1.7 ppm depending on dipole model used. Our constraint of Delta alpha/alpha = +1.3 +/- 2.4(stat) +/- 1.0(sys) ppm is not inconsistent with this expectation.}, language = {en} } @article{EvansMurphyWhitmoreetal.2014, author = {Evans, T. M. and Murphy, M. T. and Whitmore, J. B. and Misawa, T. and Centurion, Martin and Lopez, S. and Martins, C. J. A. P. and Molaro, P. and Petitjean, P. and Rahmani, H. and Srianand, R. and Wendt, Martin}, title = {The UVES Large Program for testing fundamental physics - III. Constraints on the fine-structure constant from three telescopes}, series = {Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society}, volume = {445}, journal = {Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society}, number = {1}, publisher = {Oxford Univ. Press}, address = {Oxford}, issn = {0035-8711}, doi = {10.1093/mnras/stu1754}, pages = {128 -- 150}, year = {2014}, language = {en} } @article{BoucheFinleySchroetteretal.2016, author = {Bouche, Nicolas and Finley, H. and Schroetter, I. and Murphy, M. T. and Richter, Philipp and Bacon, Roland and Contini, Thierry and Richard, J. and Wendt, Martin and Kamann, S. and Epinat, Benoit and Cantalupo, Sebastiano and Straka, Lorrie A. and Schaye, Joop and Martin, C. L. and Peroux, C. and Wisotzki, Lutz and Soto, K. and Lilly, S. and Carollo, C. M. and Brinchmann, Jarle and Kollatschny, W.}, title = {POSSIBLE SIGNATURES OF A COLD-FLOW DISK FROM MUSE USING A z similar to 1 GALAXY-QUASAR PAIR TOWARD SDSS J1422-0001}, series = {The astrophysical journal : an international review of spectroscopy and astronomical physics}, volume = {820}, journal = {The astrophysical journal : an international review of spectroscopy and astronomical physics}, publisher = {IOP Publ. Ltd.}, address = {Bristol}, issn = {0004-637X}, doi = {10.3847/0004-637X/820/2/121}, pages = {1872 -- 1882}, year = {2016}, abstract = {We use a background quasar to detect the presence of circumgalactic gas around a z = 0.91 low-mass star-forming galaxy. Data from the new Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) on the Very Large Telescope show that the galaxy has a dust-corrected star formation rate (SFR) of 4.7 +/- 2.0. M-circle dot yr(-1), with no companion down to 0.22 M-circle dot yr(-1) (5 sigma) within 240 h(-1) kpc ("30"). Using a high-resolution spectrum of the background quasar, which is fortuitously aligned with the galaxy major axis (with an azimuth angle alpha of only 15 degrees), we find, in the gas kinematics traced by low-ionization lines, distinct signatures consistent with those expected for a "cold-flow disk" extending at least 12 kpc (3 x R-1/2). We estimate the mass accretion rate M-in to be at least two to three times larger than the SFR, using the geometric constraints from the IFU data and the H (I) column density of log N-H (I)/cm(-2) similar or equal to 20.4 obtained from a Hubble Space Telescope/COS near-UV spectrum. From a detailed analysis of the low-ionization lines (e.g., Zn II, Cr II, Ti II, MnII, Si II), the accreting material appears to be enriched to about 0.4 Z(circle dot) (albeit with large uncertainties: log Z/Z(circle dot) = -0.4 +/- 0.4), which is comparable to the galaxy metallicity (12 + log O/H = 8.7 +/- 0.2), implying a large recycling fraction from past outflows. Blueshifted Mg II and Fe II absorptions in the galaxy spectrum from the MUSE data reveal the presence of an outflow. The Mg II and Fe II absorption line ratios indicate emission infilling due to scattering processes, but the MUSE data do not show any signs of fluorescent Fe II* emission.}, language = {en} }