On the gravitational field of a point-like body immersed in a quantum vacuum

Abstract

ABSTRACT Quantum vacuum and the matter immersed in it interact through electromagnetic, strong and weak interactions. However, we have zero knowledge of the gravitational properties of the quantum vacuum. As an illustration of the possible fundamental gravitational impact of the quantum vacuum, we study the gravitational field of an immersed point-like body. This is done under the working hypothesis, that quantum vacuum fluctuations are virtual gravitational dipoles (i.e. two gravitational charges of the same magnitude but opposite sign); coincidentally, this hypothesis makes quantum vacuum free of the cosmological constant problem. The major result is that a point-like body creates a halo of polarized quantum vacuum around itself, which acts as an additional source of gravity. There is a maximal magnitude ${g_{\rm qv\max}}$ of gravitational acceleration that can be caused by a polarized quantum vacuum; the small size of this magnitude (${g_{\rm qv\max}} < 6\ \times {10^{ - 11}}\,\mathrm{ m\,s}{^{-2}}$) is the reason why in some cases (for instance within the Solar system) the quantum vacuum can be neglected. Advanced experiments at CERN and forthcoming astronomical observations will reveal if this is true or not, but we point to already existing empirical evidence that seemingly supports this fascinating possibility.