Description

Motivated by the seesaw mechanism for neutrinos which naturally generates small neutrino masses, we explore how a small grand-unified-theory-scale mixing between the standard model Higgs boson and an otherwise massless hidden sector scalar can naturally generate a small mass and

Motivated by the seesaw mechanism for neutrinos which naturally generates small neutrino masses, we explore how a small grand-unified-theory-scale mixing between the standard model Higgs boson and an otherwise massless hidden sector scalar can naturally generate a small mass and vacuum expectation value for the new scalar which produces a false vacuum energy density contribution comparable to that of the observed dark energy dominating the current expansion of the Universe. This provides a simple and natural mechanism for producing the correct scale for dark energy, even if it does not address the long-standing question of why much larger dark energy contributions are not produced from the visible sector. The new scalar produces no discernible signatures in existing terrestrial experiments so that one may have to rely on other cosmological tests of this idea.

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Title
  • Higgs Seesaw Mechanism as a Source for Dark Energy
Contributors
Date Created
2013-08
Resource Type
  • Text
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    Identifier
    • Digital object identifier: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.111.061802
    • Identifier Type
      International standard serial number
      Identifier Value
      1079-7114
    • Identifier Type
      International standard serial number
      Identifier Value
      0031-9007
    Note
    • Copyright (2013) American Institute of Physics. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics. along with the following message: The following article appeared in (Higgs Seesaw Mechanism as a Source for Dark Energy. Physical Review Letters, 111(6)) and may be found at (10.1103/PhysRevLett.111.061802).

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    This is a suggested citation. Consult the appropriate style guide for specific citation guidelines.

    Krauss, L. M., & Dent, J. B. (2013). Higgs Seesaw Mechanism as a Source for Dark Energy. Physical Review Letters, 111(6), 061802. doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.111.061802

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