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Vacuum Instability

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Foundations of Physics Letters

NAbstract

Following fresh attempts to resolve the problem of the energy density of the vacuum, we reconsider the case where the cosmological constant is derived from a higher-dimensional version of general relativity, and interpret the gauge-dependence of Λ as a dynamical effect. This leads to a relation between the change in Λ and the line element (action) which is independent of gauge choices and fundamental constants: dΛds2 = −6. This implies that the (classical) vacuum is unstable, with implications for particle production.

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Wesson, P. Vacuum Instability. Found Phys Lett 19, 285–291 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10702-006-0519-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10702-006-0519-2

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