Gravitational Fields: Another Fortunate Manifestation of the Higgs Mechanism

Abstract

The present work discusses, in a comprehensible language and simple mathematics, the origin of the gravitational physics in the light of new recent experimental observations, achieved with the help of the tightly synchronized clocks of the GPS. These observations reveal that real space, ruling the inertial motion of matter and the propagation of light, is moving round the earth and round the sun according to a Keplerian velocity field, consistent with the local main astronomical motions. This Keplerian velocity field of real space is the quintessence of the gravitational fields and appropriately induces the observed gravitational dynamics. Such real space needs not to be invented. It is well at hand in the Quantum Field Theory (QFT), underlying the Standard Elementary Particle Model (SEPM). The QFT entails the idea that space is filled up with the Higgs condensate (HC), a very powerful quantum space (QS). The HC is a Bose-Einstein (BE) condensate of the zero spin Higgs bosons. By coupling to the HC, the elementary particles get inertial mass by the Higgs mechanism, that is, get mechanical properties. This will say that the HC rules the inertial motion of matter and the propagation of light and hence is the locally ultimate reference for rest and for motion of matter and light. The present work acknowledges that, likewise the Meissner effect in superconductors develops macroscopic screening currents, forcing magnetic fields out from superconductors, the Higgs mechanism too entails a macroscopic manifestation in the form of the Keplerian velocity field of the QS round each matter body throughout the universe, consistent with the local main astronomical motions. This Keplerian velocity field screens and thrusts the matter fields out from the HC by squeezing them into a minimum of volume. It is shown that this Keplerian velocity field of the QS appropriately induces the observed gravitational dynamics on earth, in the solar system as well as the galactic gravitational dynamics without the need of dark matter. It also provides an antigravitation mechanism accelerating the expansion of the universe. It finally is shown that this spacedynamics correctly and appropriately gives origin, in terms of simple and genuine physical effects, to all the other observed effects, caused by the gravitational fields on the propagation of light and on the rate of the clocks.