Vacuum Pressure, Dark Energy, and Dark Matter

Bogusław Broda,Michał Szanecki

doi:10.5402/2011/509836

Abstract

It has been argued that the correct, that is, positive, sign of quantum vacuum energy density, or, more properly, negative sign of quantum vacuum pressure, requires not a very large, and to some extent model-independent, number, for example, ∼100, of additional, undiscovered fundamental bosonic particle species, absent in the standard model. Interpretation of the new particle species in terms of dark matter ones permits to qualitatively, and even quantitatively, connect all the three concepts given in the title.

Highlights

Dark energy [1,2,3] and dark matter [4, 5] are two main constituents of our universe
The number of different fermionic particle species prevails in the standard model, and that is the puzzle
We have the two independent puzzles related to the connection between quantum vacuum energy and dark energy: the puzzle of the huge value of quantum vacuum energy density and the puzzle of its sign

Summary

Introduction

Dark energy [1,2,3] and dark matter [4, 5] are two main constituents of our universe. Not a very large, and to some extent model-independent, number of undiscovered bosonic fields should be included in the fundamental set of particle species to obtain the right sign of vacuum energy density. One should emphasize that the difficulty with the sign seems to be independent of the approach to the issue of the huge value of quantum vacuum energy.

Results

Conclusion