The Cosmological Constant from the Complete f(R) Trajectory with Standard Model Matter

The 122-order hierarchy between the observed cosmological constant and the Planck scale — Λ_obs/M⁴_Pl ≈ 10⁻¹²² — is the squared ratio of two boundary scales at which the dimensionless cosmological constant is O(1). It is not a fine-tuning. We compute the first complete renormalisation group trajectory connecting these boundaries in f(R) gravity with full Standard Model matter content, and extract a zero-free-parameter prediction: Λ = 1.09 × 10⁻⁵² m⁻², in 1.3% agreement with observation. Papers IV and V established the ultraviolet boundary: a non-Gaussian fixed point (NGFP) with Λ̃* ≈ −1.10 (anti-de Sitter) and a three-dimensional UV critical surface, making Λ calculable once G_N and A_s are measured. We show that this negative UV value is not pathological but expected: Bonanno, Platania & Saueressig (2018) demonstrated that Standard Model matter generically requires λ* < 0 for compatibility with Planck-era inflation. The physical cosmological constant is determined by the trajectory, not the fixed point. Computing the full nonlinear f(R) flow at polynomial orders n = 3–6 with Radau IIA integration, we demonstrate that Λ̃(k) crosses zero at a converged scale t_cross = −1.57 ± 0.01 (k ≈ 0.21 M_Pl), transitioning from anti-de Sitter to de Sitter. Combined with Paper I's feedback attractor as the infrared boundary condition and Paper III's two-boundary framework, this trajectory resolves all three aspects of the cosmological constant problem: the old problem (why Λ ≪ M⁴_Pl), the coincidence problem (why Ω_Λ ∼ Ω_m), and the prediction problem (what determines Λ).

Authors

Publication Details

Journal
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Published
2026-05-20
DOI
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20286761
Primary Topic
Cosmology and Gravitation Theories
Type
preprint
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preprint

The Cosmological Constant from the Complete f(R) Trajectory with Standard Model Matter

Peter Salmond
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Cosmology and Gravitation Theories
preprint

The Cosmological Constant from the Complete f(R) Trajectory with Standard Model Matter

Peter Salmond
preprint en

Abstract

The 122-order hierarchy between the observed cosmological constant and the Planck scale — Λ_obs/M⁴_Pl ≈ 10⁻¹²² — is the squared ratio of two boundary scales at which the dimensionless cosmological constant is O(1). It is not a fine-tuning. We compute the first complete renormalisation group trajectory connecting these boundaries in f(R) gravity with full Standard Model matter content, and extract a zero-free-parameter prediction: Λ = 1.09 × 10⁻⁵² m⁻², in 1.3% agreement with observation. Papers IV and V established the ultraviolet boundary: a non-Gaussian fixed point (NGFP) with Λ̃* ≈ −1.10 (anti-de Sitter) and a three-dimensional UV critical surface, making Λ calculable once G_N and A_s are measured. We show that this negative UV value is not pathological but expected: Bonanno, Platania & Saueressig (2018) demonstrated that Standard Model matter generically requires λ* < 0 for compatibility with Planck-era inflation. The physical cosmological constant is determined by the trajectory, not the fixed point. Computing the full nonlinear f(R) flow at polynomial orders n = 3–6 with Radau IIA integration, we demonstrate that Λ̃(k) crosses zero at a converged scale t_cross = −1.57 ± 0.01 (k ≈ 0.21 M_Pl), transitioning from anti-de Sitter to de Sitter. Combined with Paper I's feedback attractor as the infrared boundary condition and Paper III's two-boundary framework, this trajectory resolves all three aspects of the cosmological constant problem: the old problem (why Λ ≪ M⁴_Pl), the coincidence problem (why Ω_Λ ∼ Ω_m), and the prediction problem (what determines Λ).

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
Cosmology and Gravitation Theories
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