Does the Higgs field gravitate?

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SUMMARY

The Higgs field possesses a constant energy throughout space, contributing to the total vacuum energy and influencing the cosmological constant. Despite theoretical predictions, the experimental value of the cosmological constant is significantly smaller than the Higgs field's vacuum energy. This discrepancy raises questions about the energy distribution of the Higgs field in various cosmic environments, such as intra vs intergalactic space and neutron stars. Additionally, the interaction of mass with the Higgs field may evolve as gravitationally bound systems expand, potentially leading to a decrease in the Higgs field's energy over deep time cosmology.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of General Relativity (GR)
  • Familiarity with vacuum energy concepts
  • Knowledge of the cosmological constant
  • Basic principles of particle physics, particularly the Higgs mechanism
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  • Research the implications of vacuum energy on cosmological models
  • Study the relationship between the Higgs field and mass generation
  • Explore the concept of energy states in quantum fields
  • Investigate the effects of cosmic expansion on fundamental fields
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Physicists, cosmologists, and anyone interested in the fundamental interactions of fields in the universe, particularly those studying the implications of the Higgs field and cosmological constants.

newjerseyrunner
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Ive heard both that the Higgs field has a constant energy throughout space, but I also know that in GR all energy gravitates. Does the energy of non-ground state fields move around? If so, what effect would slightly more or less energy in the field have?
 
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The vacuum energy of the Higgs field contributes to the total vacuum energy. In theory it should gravitate by contributing to the cosmological constant. However, the experimental value of the cosmological constant is much smaller than the vacuum energy of the Higgs field, or any other similar contribution. It is not known why the cosmological constant is much smaller than the value given by the theory.
 
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Cool, does that imply that there is likely more energy in the Higgs field in intra vs intergalactic space or on the surface of a neutron star? Does that have any effect on the mass there? Mass comes from its interaction with the field, does that interaction change?

Does that also imply for deep time cosmology that the Higgs field will have less and less energy in vacuums as gravitationally bound system expand away from each other? Would the lower energy Higgs field eventually jump down to its ground state and obliterate the universe at c?
 

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