The Quantum Sphaleron

TL;DR

This paper introduces a gravitational instanton that facilitates tunneling into a novel vacuum phase with broken diffeomorphism invariance, involving a double sphaleron transition and an additional quantization level beyond standard quantum field theory.

Contribution

It presents a new gravitational instanton solution that enables tunneling into a different vacuum with broken symmetry, revealing a novel double sphaleron transition and higher-level quantization.

Findings

Identification of a gravitational instanton facilitating vacuum tunneling.

Discovery of a double sphaleron transition in quantum gravity.

Proposal of an extra quantization level beyond quantum field theory.

Abstract

A gravitational instanton is found that can tunnel into a new more stable vacuum phase where diffeomorphism invariance is broken and pitchfork bifurcations develop. This tunnelling process involves a double sphaleron-like transition which is associated with an extra level of quantization which is above that is contained in quantum field theory.