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Possible cosmological origin of spontaneous symmetry breaking

Abstract

POPULAR unified theories of weak and electromagnetic interactions1 are based on the notion of a spontaneously broken gauge symmetry. The hope has also been expressed by several authors that suitable generalisations of such theories may account for strong interactions as well. Here we propose that the spontaneous breakdown of gauge symmetries may have a cosmological origin. As a consequence we find that at some early stage of development of an expanding universe, a phase transition takes place. Before the phase transition, weak and electromagnetic interactions (and perhaps strong interactions too) are of comparable strengths. The presently observed differences in the strengths of the various interactions develop only after the phase transition takes place.

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References

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DOMOKOS, G., JANSON, M. & KOVESI-DOMOKOS, S. Possible cosmological origin of spontaneous symmetry breaking. Nature 257, 203–205 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1038/257203b0

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