Scalar-tensor gravitational effects on vacuum decay

Frank S. Accetta; Paul Romanelli

doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.41.3024

Access by Xinjiang University

Scalar-tensor gravitational effects on vacuum decay

Frank S. Accetta and Paul Romanelli

Center for Theoretical Physics, Department of Physics, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511

PDF

Phys. Rev. D 41, 3024 – Published 15 May, 1990

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.41.3024

Abstract

Motivated by a recently proposed "extended" inflation scenario, we apply the formalism of Coleman and De Luccia to the false-vacuum decay of a scalar field coupled to a scalar-tensor theory of gravity. In particular, we discuss a model for false-vacuum decay of a scalar field $σ$ minimally coupled in a Brans-Dicke-like theory of gravity. In such theories, the effective gravitational constant is a function of a scalar field $φ$ . In general, $φ$ will have nontrivial dynamics in the false vacuum, and as $φ$ varies the decay rate of the $σ$ false vacuum need not be constant. We present both an explicit "thin-wall" calculation of the decay rate, and a more general numerical "thick-wall" calculation, comparing them to the standard results for Einstein gravity. We consider some questions of principle concerning boundary conditions for the $φ$ field. We discuss the consequences of these results for extended models of inflation.

References (38)

A. H. Guth, Phys. Rev. D 23, 347 (1981)
A. H. Guth and E. J. Weinberg, Nucl. Phys. B212, 321 (1983)
D. La and P. J. Steinhardt, Phys. Rev. Lett. 62, 376 (1989)
C. Brans and R. H. Dicke, Phys. Rev. 124, 925 (1961)
A. Zee, Phys. Rev. Lett. 42, 417 (1979) L. Smolin, Nucl. Phys. B160, 253 (1979) S. Adler, Rev. Mod. Phys. 54, 419 (1982)
F. S. Accetta, D. J. Zoller, and M. S. Turner, Phys. Rev. D 31, 3046 (1985)
F. S. Accetta and J. J. Trester, Phys. Rev. D 39, 2854 (1989)
M. Green, J. Schwarz, and E. Witten, Superstring Theory (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, England, 1987)
D. La and P. J. Steinhardt, Phys. Lett. B 220, 375 (1989) [7]
D. La, P. J. Steinhardt, and E. W. Bertschinger, Phys. Lett. B 231, 231 (1989)
E. J. Weinberg, Phys. Rev. D 40, 3950 (1989)
S. Coleman and F. De Luccia, Phys. Rev. D 21, 3305 (1980)
S. Coleman, Phys. Rev. D 15, 2929 (1977) C. Callan and S. Coleman, ibid. 16, 1762 (1977)
A. Goncharov and A. Linde, Fiz. Elem. Chasits At. Yadra 17, 837 (1986) [Sov. J. Part. Nucl. 17, 369 (1986)]
N. Deruelle, Mod. Phys. Lett. A 14, 1297 (1989)
F. S. Accetta, A. Chodos, and B. Shao, Nucl. Phys. B (to be published)
Omitted endnote
P. J. Steinhardt (private communication)
C. Mathiazhagan and V. B. Johri, Class. Quantum Phys. 1, L29 (1984) [7]
S. W. Hawking and I. G. Moss, Phys. Lett. 110B, 35 (1982)
Omitted endnote
S. Hawking, Phys. Lett. 134B, 403 (1984) E. Baum, ibid. 133B, 185 (1983) S. Giddings and A. Strominger, Nucl. Phys. B306, 890 (1988) S. Coleman, ibid. B310, 643 (1988)] [S. Hawking, Commun. Math. Phys. 87, 395 (1982) Nucl. Phys. B244, 135 (1984)] [D. Gross, M. J. Perry, and L. G. Yaffe, Phys. Rev. D 25, 330 (1982)]
Omitted endnote
L. G. Jensen and P. H. Steinhardt, Nucl. Phys. B237, 176 (1984)
Omitted endnote
N. D. Birrell and P. C. W. Davies, Quantum Fields in Curved Space (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, England, 1982) R. Wald, General Relativity (University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1984)
F. S. Accetta, Nucl. Phys. B313, 660 (1989)
Omitted endnote
Omitted endnote
L. F. Abbott, D. Harari, and Q. Park, Class. Quantum Grav. 4, L201 (1987)
L. G. Jensen and P. J. Steinhardt, CERN Report No. CERNTH.5183/88, 1988 (unpublished)
Omitted endnote
[24]
Omitted endnote
F. S. Accetta and P. Romanelli (unpublished)
C. M. Will, Phys. Rep. 113, 345 (1984)
P. J. Steinhardt and F. S. Accetta, IAS Report No. IASSNSHEP-90/24, 1990 (unpublished)
R. Holman, E. W. Kolb, S. L. Vadis, Y. Wang, and E. Weinberg, Fermilab Report No. FNAL-PUB-89/233-A (unpublished)

[c1] A. H. Guth, Phys. Rev. D 23, 347 (1981)

[c2] A. H. Guth and E. J. Weinberg, Nucl. Phys. B212, 321 (1983)

[c3] D. La and P. J. Steinhardt, Phys. Rev. Lett. 62, 376 (1989)

[c4] C. Brans and R. H. Dicke, Phys. Rev. 124, 925 (1961)

[c5] A. Zee, Phys. Rev. Lett. 42, 417 (1979) L. Smolin, Nucl. Phys. B160, 253 (1979) S. Adler, Rev. Mod. Phys. 54, 419 (1982)

[c6] F. S. Accetta, D. J. Zoller, and M. S. Turner, Phys. Rev. D 31, 3046 (1985)

[c7] F. S. Accetta and J. J. Trester, Phys. Rev. D 39, 2854 (1989)

[c8] M. Green, J. Schwarz, and E. Witten, Superstring Theory (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, England, 1987)

[c9] D. La and P. J. Steinhardt, Phys. Lett. B 220, 375 (1989) [7]

[c10] D. La, P. J. Steinhardt, and E. W. Bertschinger, Phys. Lett. B 231, 231 (1989)

[c11] E. J. Weinberg, Phys. Rev. D 40, 3950 (1989)

[c12] S. Coleman and F. De Luccia, Phys. Rev. D 21, 3305 (1980)

[c13] S. Coleman, Phys. Rev. D 15, 2929 (1977) C. Callan and S. Coleman, ibid. 16, 1762 (1977)

[c14] A. Goncharov and A. Linde, Fiz. Elem. Chasits At. Yadra 17, 837 (1986) [Sov. J. Part. Nucl. 17, 369 (1986)]

[c15] N. Deruelle, Mod. Phys. Lett. A 14, 1297 (1989)

[c16] F. S. Accetta, A. Chodos, and B. Shao, Nucl. Phys. B (to be published)

[c17] Omitted endnote

[c18] P. J. Steinhardt (private communication)

[c19] C. Mathiazhagan and V. B. Johri, Class. Quantum Phys. 1, L29 (1984) [7]

[c20] S. W. Hawking and I. G. Moss, Phys. Lett. 110B, 35 (1982)

[c21] Omitted endnote

[c22] S. Hawking, Phys. Lett. 134B, 403 (1984) E. Baum, ibid. 133B, 185 (1983) S. Giddings and A. Strominger, Nucl. Phys. B306, 890 (1988) S. Coleman, ibid. B310, 643 (1988)] [S. Hawking, Commun. Math. Phys. 87, 395 (1982) Nucl. Phys. B244, 135 (1984)] [D. Gross, M. J. Perry, and L. G. Yaffe, Phys. Rev. D 25, 330 (1982)]

[c23] Omitted endnote

[c24] L. G. Jensen and P. H. Steinhardt, Nucl. Phys. B237, 176 (1984)

[c25] Omitted endnote

[c26] N. D. Birrell and P. C. W. Davies, Quantum Fields in Curved Space (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, England, 1982) R. Wald, General Relativity (University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1984)

[c27] F. S. Accetta, Nucl. Phys. B313, 660 (1989)

[c28] Omitted endnote

[c29] Omitted endnote

[c30] L. F. Abbott, D. Harari, and Q. Park, Class. Quantum Grav. 4, L201 (1987)

[c31] L. G. Jensen and P. J. Steinhardt, CERN Report No. CERNTH.5183/88, 1988 (unpublished)

[c32] Omitted endnote

[c33] [24]

[c34] Omitted endnote

[c35] F. S. Accetta and P. Romanelli (unpublished)

[c36] C. M. Will, Phys. Rep. 113, 345 (1984)

[c37] P. J. Steinhardt and F. S. Accetta, IAS Report No. IASSNSHEP-90/24, 1990 (unpublished)

[c38] R. Holman, E. W. Kolb, S. L. Vadis, Y. Wang, and E. Weinberg, Fermilab Report No. FNAL-PUB-89/233-A (unpublished)

Physical Review D

Export citation

Export citation

Scalar-tensor gravitational effects on vacuum decay

Abstract

References (38)

Outline

Information

Filter

Filter

Article Lookup

Enter a citation