How Does Quantum Vacuum Energy Accelerate?

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that Casimir vacuum energy, including divergent parts, contributes to gravitational acceleration consistent with the equivalence principle, with divergences removable via renormalization.

Contribution

It establishes that Casimir energy, finite and divergent parts, obeys the equivalence principle and can be renormalized, clarifying its gravitational role.

Findings

Casimir energy gravitates according to the equivalence principle

Divergent parts of Casimir energy can be absorbed through renormalization

Finite Casimir energy contributes to gravitational acceleration

Abstract

We show that Casimir energy for a configuration of parallel plates gravitates according to the equivalence principle both for the finite and divergent parts. This shows that the latter can be absorbed by a process of renormalization.