Bibcode
Beck, Christian; Mackey, Michael C.
Bibliographical reference
Physica A, Volume 379, Issue 1, p. 101-110.
Advertised on:
6
2007
Citations
28
Refereed citations
22
Description
Vacuum fluctuations of the electromagnetic field induce current
fluctuations in resistively shunted Josephson junctions that are
measurable in terms of a physically relevant power spectrum. In this
paper we investigate under which conditions vacuum fluctuations can be
gravitationally active, thus contributing to the dark energy density of
the universe. Our central hypothesis is that vacuum fluctuations are
gravitationally active if and only if they are measurable in terms of a
physical power spectrum in a suitable macroscopic or mesoscopic
detector. This hypothesis is consistent with the observed dark energy
density in the universe and offers a resolution of the cosmological
constant problem. Using this hypothesis we show that the observable
vacuum energy density ρ in the universe is related to the
largest possible critical temperature T of superconductors
through
ρ=σ·(kT)/ℏc,
where σ is a small constant of the order 10. This
relation can be regarded as an analog of the Stefan Boltzmann law for
dark energy. Our hypothesis is testable in Josephson junctions where we
predict there should be a cutoff in the measured spectrum at 1.7 THz if
the hypothesis is true.