Lagrangian Formulation of a Solution to the Cosmological Constant Problem

TL;DR

This paper presents a covariant Lagrangian approach treating the cosmological constant as a dynamical, stochastic field, offering a novel explanation for its small current value and historical inflationary behavior.

Contribution

It introduces a new covariant Lagrangian formulation with stochastic dynamics for the cosmological constant, linking vacuum fluctuations to cosmological evolution.

Findings

Provides equations of motion for a variable cosmological constant.

Offers a stochastic model explaining the smallness of Λ today.

Connects vacuum energy fluctuations with early universe inflation.

Abstract

A covariant Lagrangian formulation of a solution to the cosmological constant problem, based on vizualising the fluctuations of the vacuum energy as a non-equilibrium process with stochastic behaviour, is presented. The variational principle yields equations of motion for the cosmological ``constant" $\Lambda$, treated as a dynamical field, together with an equation for a Lagrange multiplier field $\phi$, and the standard Einstein field equations with a variable cosmological constant term. A stochastic model of $\Lambda$ yields a natural explanation for the smallness or zero value of the constant in the present epoch and its large value in an era of inflation in the early universe.