From Analogue Models to Gravitating Vacuum

Abstract: We discuss phenomenology of quantum vacuum. Phenomenology of macroscopic systems has three sources: thermodynamics, topology and symmetry. Momentum space topology determines the universality classes of fermionic vacua. The vacuum in its massless state belongs to the Fermi-point universality class, which has topologically protected fermionic quasiparticles. At low energy they behave as relativistic massless Weyl fermions. Gauge fields and gravity emerge together with Weyl fermions at low energy. Thermodynamics of the self-sustained vacuum allows us to treat the problems related to the vacuum energy: the cosmological constant problems. The natural value of the energy density of the equilibrium the self-sustained vacuum is zero. Cosmology is the process of relaxation of vacuum towards the equilibrium state. The present value of the cosmological constant is very small compared to the Planck scale, because the present Universe is very old and thus is close to equilibrium.