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Towards a solution of the cosmological constant problem

  • Gravity, Astrophysics
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Abstract

The standard model of elementary particle physics and the theory of general relativity can be extended by the introduction of a vacuum variable which is responsible for the near vanishing of the present cosmological constant (vacuum energy density). The explicit realization of this vacuum variable can be via a three-form gauge field, an aether-type velocity field, or any other field appropriate for the description of the equilibrium state corresponding to the Lorentz-invariant quantum vacuum. The extended theory has, without fine-tuning, a Minkowski-type solution of the field equations with spacetime-independent fields and provides, therefore, a possible solution of the main cosmological constant problem.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of Karlsruhe, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, 76128, Karlsruhe, Germany

    F. R. Klinkhamer

  2. Low Temperature Laboratory, Aalto University, FI-00076, AALTO, Finland

    G. E. Volovik

  3. Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119334, Russia

    G. E. Volovik

Authors
  1. F. R. Klinkhamer
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  2. G. E. Volovik
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Correspondence to F. R. Klinkhamer.

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Klinkhamer, F.R., Volovik, G.E. Towards a solution of the cosmological constant problem. Jetp Lett. 91, 259–265 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0021364010060019

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