Dark energy density in models with split supersymmetry and degenerate vacua

Abstract

In N = 1 supergravity supersymmetric and nonsupersymmetric Minkowski vacua originating in the hidden sector can be degenerate. In the supersymmetric phase in flat Minkowski space, nonperturbative supersymmetry breakdown may take place in the observable sector, inducing a nonzero and positive vacuum energy density. Assuming that such a supersymmetric phase and the phase in which we live are degenerate, we estimate the value of the cosmological constant. We argue that the observed value of the dark energy density can be reproduced in the split SUSY scenario of SUSY breaking if the SUSY breaking scale is of order of 1010 GeV.