The Quantum Vacuum and the Cosmological Constant Problem
High Energy Physics - Theory
2007-05-23 v1 General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
Quantum Physics
Abstract
The cosmological constant problem arises at the intersection between general relativity and quantum field theory, and is regarded as a fundamental problem in modern physics. In this paper we describe the historical and conceptual origin of the cosmological constant problem which is intimately connected to the vacuum concept in quantum field theory. We critically discuss how the problem rests on the notion of physical real vacuum energy, and which relations between general relativity and quantum field theory are assumed in order to make the problem well-defined.
Cite
@article{arxiv.hep-th/0012253,
title = {The Quantum Vacuum and the Cosmological Constant Problem},
author = {Svend Erik Rugh and Henrik Zinkernagel},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:hep-th/0012253},
year = {2007}
}
Comments
46 pages, no figures. Submitted to Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics