Casimir Energy of the Universe and the Dark Energy Problem

Abstract

We regard the Casimir energy of the universe as the main contribution to the cosmological constant. Using 5 dimensional models of the universe, the flat model and the warped one, we calculate Casimir energy. Introducing the new regularization, called sphere lattice regularization, we solve the divergence problem. The regularization utilizes the closed-string configuration. We consider 4 different approaches: 1) restriction of the integral region (Randall-Schwartz), 2) method of 1) using the minimal area surfaces, 3) introducing the weight function, 4) generalized path-integral. We claim the 5 dimensional field theories are quantized properly and all divergences are renormalized. At present, it is explicitly demonstrated in the numerical way, not in the analytical way. The renormalization-group function (β-function) is explicitly obtained. The renormalization-group flow of the cosmological constant is concretely obtained.