Recent measurements of a peak in the angular power spectrum of the cosmic microwave background suggest that the geometry of the universe is close to flat. But if other accepted indicators of cosmological parameters are also correct then the best fit model is marginally closed, with the peak in the spectrum at slightly larger scales than in a flat universe. If these observations persevere, one way they might be reconciled with a flat universe is if the fine structure constant had a lower value at earlier times, which would delay the recombination of electrons and protons and also act to suppress secondary oscillations as observed. We discuss evidence for a few percent increase in the fine structure constant between the time of recombination and the present.

• Received 23 August 2000

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.63.043505