Properties of the quantum vacuum calculated from its structure

Bernard Mulligan,G. B. Mainland

doi:10.1088/1742-6596/1956/1/012016

Bernard Mulligan, G. B. Mainland

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1956/1/012016

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Abstract

Physicists have speculated about the properties of the quantum vacuum for at least 85 years; however, only recently have they understood the quantum vacuum sufficiently well to begin making testable predictions. Specifically, using Maxwell’s equations to describe the interaction of the electromagnetic field with charged lepton - antilepton vacuum fluctuations, it has been possible to calculate the permittivity of the vacuum, the speed of light in the vacuum, and the fine structure constant. Physicists are now also beginning to successfully address problems in cosmology based on properties of the quantum vacuum. The terms “vacuum catastrophe” and “old cosmological problem” refer, respectively, to the predictions that the vacuum energy density and the cosmological constant are both approximately 120 orders of magnitude larger than the observed values. Using properties of the quantum vacuum and well-established physics, it is possible to demonstrate that the huge vacuum energy cannot transfer energy to normal matter; accordingly, vacuum energy contributes neither to the observed energy density of the universe nor to the cosmological constant, which plays a central role in the accelerating expansion of the universe.

Highlights

A central tenet of physics is that the structure of a physical system determines its properties
The term “vacuum catastrophe” refers to the fact that the value of the vacuum energy density of the universe appears to be predicted to be approximately 120 orders of magnitude larger than the observed energy density of the universe. It is demonstrated, using properties of the quantum vacuum and well-established physics, that vacuum energy cannot be converted into normal energy either indirectly through vacuum fluctuations or directly; vacuum energy does not contribute to the observed energy density of the universe
Summary and Discussion Since the action integral describing normal matter and energy is invariant under time translations, it follows from Noether’s theorem[20] that Normal energy is conserved

Summary

Introduction

A central tenet of physics is that the structure of a physical system determines its properties. As will be discussed in more detail, vacuum fluctuations of the fields associated with massive particles appear as particle-antiparticle bound states. The term “vacuum catastrophe” refers to the fact that the value of the vacuum energy density of the universe appears to be predicted to be approximately 120 orders of magnitude larger than the observed energy density of the universe. It is demonstrated, using properties of the quantum vacuum and well-established physics, that vacuum energy cannot be converted into normal energy either indirectly through vacuum fluctuations or directly; vacuum energy does not contribute to the observed energy density of the universe.

Poincare invariance of the vacuum

The number density of electron-positron VFs that are available to interact with a photon

Findings

Expectation value of the electric dipole moment induced in a electron-positron (parapositronium) VF