Relaxation of vacuum energy in q-theory
arXiv:1601.04676 · doi:10.1134/S1063776117080052
Abstract
The -theory formalism aims to describe the thermodynamics and dynamics of the deep quantum vacuum. The thermodynamics leads to an exact cancellation of the quantum-field zero-point-energies in equilibrium, which partly solves the main cosmological constant problem. But, with reversible dynamics, the spatially-flat Friedmann-Robertson-Walker universe asymptotically approaches the Minkowski vacuum only if the Big Bang already started out in an initial equilibrium state. Here, we extend -theory by introducing dissipation from irreversible processes. Neglecting the possible instability of a de-Sitter vacuum, we obtain different scenarios with either a de-Sitter asymptote or collapse to a final singularity. The Minkowski asymptote still requires fine-tuning of the initial conditions. This suggests that, within the -theory approach, the decay of the de-Sitter vacuum is a necessary condition for the dynamical solution of the cosmological constant problem.
18 pages, v4: published version
References in corpus (10)
- De Sitter Space and Eternity
- Self-tuning vacuum variable and cosmological constant
- Quantum quench phase diagrams of an s-wave BCS-BEC condensate
- Dynamic vacuum variable and equilibrium approach in cosmology
- Nonequilibrium dynamics of weakly and strongly paired superconductors
- Normal and anomalous solitons in the theory of dynamical Cooper pairing
- The Cosmological Constant is Probably Zero, and a Proof is Possibly Right
- Brane realization of q-theory and the cosmological constant problem
- Dynamic cancellation of a cosmological constant and approach to the Minkowski vacuum
- On vacuum-energy decay from particle production