Published April 1, 2009 | Version v1
Journal article

Gravitational vacuum energy in our recently accelerating universe

  • 1. Departamento de Astronomia, Universidad de Chile, Santiago (Chile)

Description

We review current observations of the homogeneous cosmological expansion which, because they measure only kinematic variables, cannot determine the dynamics driving the recent accelerated expansion. The minimal fit to the data, the flat ACDM model, consisting of cold dark matter and a cosmological constant, interprets 4? geometrically as a classical spacetime curvature constant of nature, avoiding any reference to quantum vacuum energy. (The observed Uehling and Casimir effects measure forces due to QED vacuum polarization, but not any quantum material vacuum energies.) An Extended Anthropic Principle, that Dark Energy and Dark Gravity be indistinguishable, selects out flat ACDM. Prospective cosmic shear and galaxy clustering observations of the growth of fluctuations are intended to test whether the 'dark energy' driving the recent cosmological acceleration is static or moderately dynamic. Even if dynamic, observational differences between an additional negative-pressure material component within general relativity (Dark Energy) and low-curvature modifications of general relativity (Dark Gravity) will be extremely small.

Availability note (English)

Available from http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/161/1/012026

Additional details

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Journal of Physics. Conference Series (Online)
Journal Volume
161
Journal Issue
1
Journal Page Range
[3 p.]
ISSN
1742-6596

Conference

Title
International workshop on 60 years of the Casimir effect
Dates
23-27 Jun 2008
Place
Brasilia, DF (Brazil)

INIS

Country of Publication
United Kingdom
Country of Input or Organization
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
INIS RN
41103520
Subject category
S79: ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY;
Resource subtype / Literary indicator
Conference
Descriptors DEI
COSMOLOGICAL CONSTANT; GALAXY CLUSTERS; GENERAL RELATIVITY THEORY; GRAVITATION; NONLUMINOUS MATTER; QUANTUM ELECTRODYNAMICS; SPACE-TIME; UNIVERSE; VACUUM POLARIZATION
Descriptors DEC
ELECTRODYNAMICS; FIELD THEORIES; MATTER; QUANTUM FIELD THEORY; RELATIVITY THEORY