The cosmological dark sector as a scalar σ\sigma-meson field

Previous quantum field estimations of the QCD vacuum in the expanding space-time lead to a dark energy component scaling linearly with the Hubble parameter, which gives the correct figure for the observed cosmological term. Here we show that this behaviour also appears at the classical level, as a result of the chiral symmetry breaking in a low energy, effective $\sigma$-model. The dark sector is described in a unified way by the $\sigma$ condensate and its fluctuations, giving rise to a decaying dark energy and a homogeneous creation of non-relativistic dark particles. The creation rate and the future asymptotic de Sitter horizon are both determined by the $\sigma$ mass scale.Comment: A typo was fixed in Eq. (19)-(20), and a reference adde

On the vacuum entropy and the cosmological constant

It is generally accepted that the entropy of an asymptotically de Sitter universe is bounded by the area, in Planck units, of the de Sitter horizon. Based on an analysis of the entropy associated to the vacuum quantum fluctuations, we suggest that the existence of such a holographic bound constitutes a possible explanation for the observed value of the cosmological constant, theoretically justifying a relation proposed 35 years ago by Zel'dovich.Comment: Version to appear in the GRF2003 Special Issue of IJMP

Probability Amplitudes for Charge-Monopole Scattering

In this letter we quantize a previously proposed non-local lagrangean for the classical dual electrodynamics (Phys.Lett.B 384(1996)197), showing how it can be used to construct probability amplitudes. Our results are shown to agree with those obtained in the context of Schwinger and Zwanzinger formulations, but without necessity of introducing strings.Comment: To appear in The Journal of High Energy Physics (JHEP), Latex, 11 pages, new results adde

Open cosmologies with rotation

We study a rotating and expanding, Godel type metric, originally considered by Korotkii and Obukhov, showing that, in the limit of large times and nearby distances, it reduces to the open metric of Friedmann. In the epochs when radiation or dust matter dominate the energy density, our solutions are similar to the isotropic ones and, in what concerns processes occurring at small times, the rotation leads only to higher order corrections. At large times, the solution is dominated by a decaying positive cosmological term, with negative pressure, and necessarily describes a quasi-flat universe if the energy conditions have to be satisfied. The absence of closed time-like curves requires a superior limit for the global angular velocity, which appears as a natural explanation for the observed smallness of the present rotation. The conclusion is that the introduction of a global rotation, in addition to be compatible with observation, can enrich the standard model of the Universe, explaining issues like the origin of galaxies rotation and the quasi-flatness problem.Comment: Final version, accepted for publication in General Relativity and Gravitatio

The cosmic coincidence in Brans-Dicke cosmologies

Among the suggested solutions to the cosmological constant problem, we find the idea of a dynamic vacuum, with an energy density decaying with the universe expansion. We investigate the possibility of a variation in the gravitational constant as well, induced, at the cosmological scale, by the vacuum decay. We consider an effective Brans-Dicke theory in the spatially flat FLRW spacetime, finding late time solutions characterized by a constant ratio between the matter and vacuum energy densities. By using the observed limits for the universe age, we fix the only free parameter of our solutions, obtaining a relative matter density in the range 0.25-0.4. In particular, for Ht = 1 we obtain a relative matter density equals to 1/3. This constitutes a possible explanation for another problem related to the cosmological term, the cosmic coincidence problem.Comment: This essay received an "honorable mention" in the 2005 Essay Competition of the Gravity Research Foundatio