Measure Fields, The Cosmological Constant and Scale Invariance

TL;DR

This paper explores alternative measures in the action that lead to models resolving the cosmological constant problem, breaking scale invariance spontaneously, and developing theories of extended objects without fundamental scales.

Contribution

It introduces models with independent measures that eliminate the cosmological constant problem and enable new mechanisms for spontaneous scale symmetry breaking.

Findings

Models without the cosmological constant problem

New spontaneous scale symmetry breaking mechanisms

Theories of extended objects without fundamental scales

Abstract

The consequences of considering the measure of integration in the action to be defined by degrees of freedom independent of the metric are studied. Models without the cosmological constant problem, new ways of spontaneously breaking scale symmetry which have an interesting cosmology and theories of extended objects (string, branes) without a fundamental scale appear possible.