Sensitivity of solar g-modes to varying G cosmologies

D. B. Guenther, Ken Sills, Pierre Demarque, Lawrence M. Krauss

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

10 Scopus citations

Abstract

The sensitivity of the solar g-mode oscillation spectrum to variability in the universal gravitational constant G is described. Solar models in varying G cosmologies were constructed by evolving a zero-age main-sequence stellar model to the Sun's current age, while allowing the value of G to change according to the power law G(t) ∝ t, where β ≅ Ġ/GH and H is the Hubble constant. All solar models were constrained to the observed luminosity and radius at the current age of the Sun by adjusting the helium abundance and the mixing-length parameter of the models in the usual way for standard stellar models. Low-l g-mode oscillation periods were calculated for each of the models and compared to the claimed observation of the solar g-mode oscillation spectrum by Hill & Gu (1990). If one accepts Hill & Gu's claims, then within the uncertainties of the physics of the solar model calculation, our models rule out all but | Ġ/GH\ < ∼0.05. In other words, we conclude that G could not have varied by more than 2% over the past 4.5 Gyr, the lifetime of the present-day Sun. This result lends independent support to the validity of the standard solar model.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)148-151
Number of pages4
JournalAstrophysical Journal
Volume445
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - May 20 1995
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Cosmology: theory
  • Gravitation
  • Sun: oscillations

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Space and Planetary Science

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