Implications of Weak Gravity Conjecture for de Sitter Decay by Flux Discharge

TL;DR

This paper explores how the weak gravity conjecture influences de Sitter space stability and flux discharge mechanisms, revealing conditions under which the cosmological constant can naturally decay or lead to anthropic scenarios.

Contribution

It demonstrates that the weak gravity conjecture constrains de Sitter decay via flux discharges, with different flux dominance regimes affecting anthropic outcomes.

Findings

Quadratic flux dominance leads to anthropic outcomes.

Linear flux dominance allows natural decay of cosmological constant.

Weak gravity bounds enforce de Sitter instability.

Abstract

We examine implications of the weak gravity conjecture for the mechanisms for discharging cosmological constant via membrane nucleations. Once screening fluxes and membranes which source them enter, and weak gravity bounds are enforced, a generic de Sitter space \underline{must} be unstable. We show that when all the flux terms which screen and discharge the cosmological constant are dominated by quadratic and higher order terms, the bounds from weak gravity conjecture and naturalness lead toward anthropic outcomes. In contrast, when the flux sectors are dominated by linear flux terms, anthropics may be avoided, and the cosmological constant may naturally decay toward smallest possible values.