Is our vacuum metastable
Abstract
It is argued that the present vacuum state of the Universe is determined cosmologically by the dynamical evolution of the Universe from the hot, dense phase which existed shortly after the big bang to the present. Microphysical equations are used to show that the vacuum is conceivably metastable, and the dynamical question is investigated whether it is reasonable that during the course of its temperature evolution, the Universe could get 'hung up' in our vacuum in spite of its only being metastable. It is qualitatively found that this can occur.
- Publication:
-
Nature
- Pub Date:
- August 1982
- DOI:
- Bibcode:
- 1982Natur.298..633T
- Keywords:
-
- Broken Symmetry;
- Cosmology;
- Metastable State;
- Vacuum;
- Field Theory (Physics);
- Particle Interactions;
- Astrophysics;
- BROKEN SYMMETRY;
- COSMOLOGY;
- METASTABLE STATE;
- VACUUM;
- FIELD THEORY (PHYSICS);
- PARTICLE INTERACTIONS