Dark Energy From Vacuum Fluctuations

Abstract

We describe briefly a novel interpretation of the physical nature of dark energy (DE), based on the vacuum fluctuations model by Gurzadyan & Xue, and describe an internally consistent solution for the behavor of DE as a function of redshift. A key choice is the nature of the upper bound used for the computation of energy density contributions by vacuum modes. We show that use of the comoving horizon radius produces a viable model, whereas use of the proper horizon radius is inconsistent with the observations. After introduction of a single phenomenological parameter, the model is consistent with all of the curently available data, and fits them as well as the standard cosmological constant model, while making testable predictions. While some substantial interpretative uncertainties remain, future developments of this model may lead to significant new insights into the physical nature of DE.