The discussion centers around the concept of the number of Higgs "particles" per unit volume and its implications in the context of an expanding universe. Participants explore the nature of the Higgs field, its particle interpretation, and the relevance of these ideas in both theoretical and experimental frameworks.
Participants do not reach a consensus on the meaningfulness of the number of Higgs "particles" per unit volume, with multiple competing views regarding the interpretation of the Higgs field and its implications in an expanding universe.
Limitations include the dependence on the definitions of particle number and field value, as well as unresolved questions regarding the nature of the Higgs field in different contexts.
...is not even a meaningful quantity. The Higgs field is not even in a state with a meaningful "particle number" except in special cases like the interior of the LHC during an experimental run.mister i said:the number of Higgs "particles" per unit volume
There is also a distinction between interactions with on-shell Higgs bosons v. interactions with off-shell Higgs bosons (i.e. virtual Higgs bosons).PeterDonis said:...is not even a meaningful quantity. The Higgs field is not even in a state with a meaningful "particle number" except in special cases like the interior of the LHC during an experimental run.
Even the "Higgs field value" is problematic since a quantum field is not a number, it's an operator. But asking about something like the average energy density of the Higgs field would be reasonable. As far as I know that is constant as the universe expands, like dark energy density.ohwilleke said:the question asking "Is the . . . Higgs field value [constant] . . ., even in expanding space?" Is not non-sensical on its face.
Or it's zero pretty much everywhere.PeterDonis said:...is not even a meaningful quantity.