Cosmological implications of conformal field theory

Abstract

Requiring all elementary fields to have conformal scaling symmetry removes a formal conflict between Einstein-Hilbert gravitational theory and the quantum theory of elementary particles and fields. Higgs symmetry-breaking requires a nonvanishing scalar field throughout spacetime, a cosmological entity. In uniform, isotropic geometry, conformal gravitational theory that includes this scalar field determines a modified Friedmann evolution equation with nonvanishing cosmological constant. Numerical solution determines parameters consistent with empirical data for redshifts $z\leq z_*=1090$, including luminosity distances for observed type Ia supernovae and peak structure ratios in the cosmic microwave background (CMB). In this theory, a cosmological constant within current empirical error bounds implies extremely small mass for the Higgs boson. The theory does not require dark matter.