The Not so Constant Gravitational "Constant" G as a Function of Quantum Vacuum

Gravitation is still the less understood among the fundamental forces of Nature. The ultimate physical origin of its ruling constant G could give key insights in this understanding. According to the Einstein's Theory of General Relativity, a massive body determines a gravitational potential that alters the speed of light, the clock's rate and the particle size as a function of the distance from its own center. On the other hand, it has been shown that the presence of mass determines a modification of Zero-Point Field (ZPF) energy density within its volume and in the space surrounding it. All these considerations strongly suggest that also the constant G could be expressed as a function of quantum vacuum energy density somehow depending on the distance from the mass whose presence modifies the ZPF energy structure. In this paper, starting from a constitutive medium-based picture of space, it has been formulated a model of gravitational constant G as a function of Planck's time and Quantum Vacuum energy density in turn depending on the radial distance from center of the mass originating the gravitational field, supposed as spherically symmetric. According to this model, in which gravity arises from the unbalanced physical vacuum pressure, gravitational "constant" G is not truly unchanging but slightly varying as a function of the distance from the mass source of gravitational potential itself. An approximate analytical form of such dependence has been discussed. The proposed model, apart from potentially having deep theoretical consequences on the commonly accepted picture of physical reality (from cosmology to matter stability), could also give the theoretical basis for unthinkable applications related, for example, to the field of gravity control and space propulsion.