Mass, inertia, and gravitation

Abstract

We discuss some effects induced by quantum field fluctuations on mass, inertia, and gravitation. Recalling the problem raised by vacuum field fluctuations with respect to inertia and gravitation, we show that vacuum energy differences, such as Casimir energy, do contribute to inertia. Mass behaves as a quantum observable and in particular possesses quantum fluctuations. We show that the compatibility of the quantum nature of mass with gravitation can be ensured by conformal symmetries, which allow one to formulate a quantum version of the equivalence principle. Finally, we consider some corrections to the coupling between metric fields and energy-momentum tensors induced by radiative corrections. Newton's gravitation constant is replaced by two different running coupling constants in the sectors of traceless and traced tensors. There result metric extensions of general relativity (GR), which can be characterized by modified Ricci curvatures or by two gravitation potentials. The corresponding phenomenological framework extends the usual parametrized post-Newtonian (PPN) one, with the ability to remain compatible with classical tests of gravity while accounting for new features, such as Pioneer-like anomalies or anomalous light deflection. © 2011 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.