Vacuum up-tunneling with high-energy events?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the concept of vacuum up-tunneling, particularly in relation to high-energy events such as cosmic rays. Sean Carroll's research indicates that vacuum up-tunneling is only feasible during the universe's initial heated moments, with a subsequent rate of zero. The conversation explores whether cosmic rays, which can be produced from high-energy events, could excite vacuum energy despite being redshifted by the universe's expansion. Ultimately, the consensus suggests that the potential for vacuum excitation through cosmic rays is highly unlikely.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of vacuum energy and its implications in cosmology
  • Familiarity with high-energy cosmic rays and their properties
  • Knowledge of redshift effects in astrophysics
  • Basic grasp of quantum field theory concepts
NEXT STEPS
  • Research Sean Carroll's papers on vacuum energy and cosmology
  • Explore the implications of redshift on cosmic rays and other massive particles
  • Investigate alternative theories of vacuum excitation beyond cosmic rays
  • Study quantum field theory to understand vacuum states and tunneling phenomena
USEFUL FOR

Cosmologists, astrophysicists, and theoretical physicists interested in the dynamics of vacuum energy and its relationship with high-energy cosmic events.

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TL;DR
Vacuum up-tunneling with high-energy events?
I was reading these papers by Sean Carroll (https://arxiv.org/abs/1405.0298; https://arxiv.org/abs/1505.02780) in which, among other things, he argues against vacuum up-tunneling occurring in the universe. He only acknowledged that it would be possible in the first moments of the universe while it was heated, but after that the rate goes to zero.

Meanwhile, vacuum energy can be excited by high energetic events like high energy cosmic rays. I thought that cosmic rays, being massive particles, were not redshfited by the expansion of the universe as photons are; therefore, if cosmic rays were produced in the big bang or as a result of a previous false vacuum decay, then these particles could eventually excite the vacuum, essentially causing an up-tunneling.

However, apparently cosmic rays can get redshifted as well (https://astronomy.stackexchange.com...alent-of-the-red-shift-effect-for-cosmic-rays). Then, is it impossible that cosmic rays may excite the vacuum in the future? Is there any kind of energy that does not get "redshifted" and therefore could cause an up-tunneling of the vacuum? Is it really utterly impossible to excite the vacuum?
 

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