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Cosmological constant from degenerate vacua.
1Department of Earth and Space Science, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka 560-0043, Japan.
Physical Review Letters
|April 17, 2002
Summary
The cosmological constant may be zero in the true vacuum. Observed vacuum energy density could arise from unstable, degenerate vacua in quantum field theories like non-Abelian gauge theories.
Area of Science:
- Cosmology
- Quantum Field Theory
Background:
- The cosmological constant problem is a major challenge in physics.
- The true ground state of the universe is hypothesized to have zero vacuum energy density.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explain the observed small, finite vacuum energy density.
- To reconcile the zero-energy ground state hypothesis with cosmological observations.
Main Methods:
- Considering theories with multiple degenerate, unstable perturbative vacua.
- Investigating quantum tunneling between vacua.
- Utilizing topological vacua in non-Abelian gauge theories as an example.
Main Results:
- A model is proposed where the cosmological constant vanishes in the true ground state.
- Observed vacuum energy density can be explained by residing in an unstable vacuum state.
- The theory provides a potential mechanism for a small, non-zero vacuum energy.
Conclusions:
- The hypothesis of a vanishing cosmological constant in the true ground state is plausible.
- Quantum tunneling and unstable vacua offer a viable explanation for observed vacuum energy.
- Non-Abelian gauge theories provide a concrete framework for this phenomenon.