Eur. Phys. J. C (2020) 80: 18
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-019-7554-1

Regular Article - Theoretical Physics

Can the quantum vacuum fluctuations really solve the cosmological constant problem?

¹ Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio (IAFE), CONICET–Universidad de Buenos Aires, 1428, Buenos Aires, Argentina
² Grupo de Astrofísica, Relatividad y Cosmología, Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Paseo del Bosque S/N, 1900, La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
³ CONICET, Godoy Cruz 2290, 1425, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
⁴ Instituto de Investigaciones Filosóficas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito Maestro Mario de la Cueva s/n, C.U., 04510, Mexico, DF, Mexico
⁵ Instituto de Ciencias Nucleares, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, A.P. 70-543, 04510, Ciudad de México, México

^* e-mail: gleon@fcaglp.unlp.edu.ar

Received: 19 November 2019
Accepted: 10 December 2019
Published online: 11 January 2020

Abstract

Recently it has been argued that a correct reading of the quantum fluctuations of the vacuum could lead to a solution to the cosmological constant problem. In this work we critically examine such a proposal, finding it questionable due to conceptual and self-consistency problems, as well as issues with the actual calculations. We conclude that the proposal is inadequate as a solution to the cosmological constant problem.