A Tunneling from a True Vacuum to a False One: Is it Possible for the Higgs Field?

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The discussion centers on the possibility of the Higgs field tunneling from a true vacuum to a false vacuum. Participants debate the analogy of this process to nuclear decay, questioning whether it resembles carbon-14 or nitrogen-14 transitions. It is clarified that the true vacuum, being the lowest energy state, lacks the energy required for such tunneling to occur. The conversation highlights the importance of understanding the definitions of true and false vacuums in quantum field theory. Ultimately, the consensus is that the Higgs field cannot tunnel from a true vacuum to a false one due to energy constraints.
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Could the Higgs field in a true vacuum tunnel to a false one? How much time would that process require?
Could the Higgs field in a true vacuum tunnel to a false one? How much time would that process require?
 
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emanaly said:
How much time would that process require?
You choose "A" tag for your thread, and you ask this question? It is like asking how long time it takes for one carbon.14 nuclei to decay, I hope you realize this...
 
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I was puzzled by this - note the use of "true" and "false". Isn't it more like a N-14 atom decaying to C-14?
 
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Vanadium 50 said:
I was puzzled by this - note the use of "true" and "false". Isn't it more like a N-14 atom decaying to C-14?
Actually yes, I was reading from false to true (because that is what is actually being studied, plus I thought it was the same as this recent thread https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/what-is-a-false-vacuum.1052894 )
 
emanaly said:
Could the Higgs field in a true vacuum tunnel to a false one?
No, it doesn't have the energy to do that. By definition, the true vacuum is the lowest energy state.
 
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