A Simple System For Coleman-De Luccia Transitions

Abstract: This paper presents a simple framework that organizes thin-wall Coleman-De Luccia instantons based on the Euclidean geometries of their original and tunneled vacuum patches. We consider all a priori allowed vacuum pairs (de Sitter or Anti-de Sitter for either patch, Minkowski can be obtained as a limit of either), and $O(4)$-symmetric thin-wall geometries connecting them. For each candidate bounce geometry, either a condition under which a solution to the $O(4)$-invariant equations of motion exists is derived, or the would-be vacuum transition is ruled out. For the parameter regimes in which a solution exists, we determine whether expansion/contraction of the bounce supplies a negative mode in the second variation of the Euclidean action. All results follow from the monotonicity of a single function.