Constraints on a possible variation of the fine structure constant from galaxy cluster data

Abstract

We propose a new method to probe a possible time evolution of the fine structure constant α from X-ray and Sunyaev-Zel'dovich measurements of the gas mass fraction (fgas) in galaxy clusters. Taking into account a direct relation between variations of α and violations of the distance-duality relation, we discuss constraints on α for a class of dilaton runaway models. Although not yet competitive with bounds from high-z quasar absorption systems, our constraints, considering a sample of 29 measurements of fgas, in the redshift interval 0.14 < z < 0.89, provide an independent estimate of α variation at low and intermediate redshifts. Furthermore, current and planned surveys will provide a larger amount of data and thus allow to improve the limits on α variation obtained in the present analysis.