Probing variation of the fine-structure constant in runaway dilaton models using Strong Gravitational Lensing and Type Ia Supernovae

Abstract

Abstract In order to probe a possible time variation of the fine-structure constant ( $$\alpha $$ α ), we propose a new method based on Strong Gravitational Lensing and Type Ia Supernovae observations. By considering a class of runaway dilaton models, where $$\frac{\Delta \alpha }{\alpha }= - \gamma \ln {(1+z)}$$ Δ α α = - γ ln ( 1 + z ) , we obtain constraints on $$\frac{\Delta \alpha }{\alpha }$$ Δ α α at the level $$\gamma \sim 10^{-2}$$ γ ∼ 10 - 2 ( $$\gamma $$ γ captures the physical properties of the model). Since the data set covers the redshift range $$0.075 \le z \le 2.2649$$ 0.075 ≤ z ≤ 2.2649 , the constraints derived here provide independent bounds on a possible time variation of $$\alpha $$ α at low, intermediate and high redshifts.