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arXiv · 1601.04676

Relaxation of vacuum energy in q-theory

F. R. Klinkhamer·M. Savelainen·G. E. Volovik
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Abstract

The $q$-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 $q$-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 $q$-theory approach, the decay of the de-Sitter vacuum is a necessary condition for the dynamical solution of the cosmological constant problem.

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F. R. Klinkhamer, M. Savelainen, G. E. Volovik. 2017-09-06. Relaxation of vacuum energy in q-theory. https://doi.org/10.1134/s1063776117080052

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