RE: speed of light

The note about a possible change in the speed of light may have come

from reports in the NYTimes

(http://www.nytimes.com/2001/08/15/science/15PHYS.html) or USA Today

(http://www.usatoday.com/news/healthscience/science/astro/2001-08-15-spe

ed-of-light.htm), related to the reported change in the fine structure

constant.

According to a claim in a recent article, "Further Evidence for

Cosmological Evolution of the Fine Structure Constant" (J. K. Webb, M.

T. Murphy, V. V. Flambaum, V. A. Dzuba, J. D. Barrow, C. W. Churchill,

J. X. Prochaska, and A. M. Wolfe, Phys. Rev. Lett. 87, 091301, print

issue of 27 August 2001), the (dimensionless) fine-structure constant is

about 0.001 per cent larger now than it was a billion years ago.

Another web site provides much information and background on the data

reported by the astronomers -

http://www.astro.psu.edu/users/cwc/fsc.html

Some scientists see problems with the claim

(http://focus.aps.org/v8/st9.html). However, if confirmed, the change in

the fine structure constant over time would be a major discovery.

How this would affect a dimensioned constant like the speed of light (in

vacuum) remains to be seen. No changes in that constant have yet been

observed.

Rick

Richard G. Strickert, Ph.D.

Principal Scientist

Signature Science LLC

8329 North Mopac Blvd.

Austin, TX 78759

(512) 533-2009 (Phone)

(512) 533-9563 (Fax)

rstrickert@signaturescience.com

http://www.signaturescience.com

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