Density Induced Vacuum Instability

TL;DR

This paper investigates how matter density in dense astrophysical objects can trigger phase transitions by destabilizing metastable states, potentially leading to universe-wide changes during star formation.

Contribution

It derives conditions for bubble formation and escape in density-induced vacuum instability, highlighting a novel mechanism for phase transitions triggered by matter density.

Findings

Dense matter can destabilize false vacua in certain theories.

Conditions for bubble formation and escape are established.

Potential for universe-wide phase transitions during star formation.

Abstract

We consider matter density effects in theories with a false ground state. Large and dense systems, such as stars, can destabilize a metastable minimum and allow for the formation of bubbles of the true minimum. We derive the conditions under which these bubbles form, as well as the conditions under which they either remain confined to the dense region or escape to infinity. The latter case leads to a phase transition in the universe at star formation. We explore the phenomenological consequences of such seeded phase transitions.