306 research outputs found
The Importance of Slow-roll Corrections During Multi-field Inflation
We re-examine the importance of slow-roll corrections during the evolution of
cosmological perturbations in models of multi-field inflation. We find that in
many instances the presence of light degrees of freedom leads to situations in
which next to leading order slow-roll corrections become significant. Examples
where we expect such corrections to be crucial include models in which modes
exit the Hubble radius while the inflationary trajectory undergoes an abrupt
turn in field space, or during a phase transition. We illustrate this with two
examples -- hybrid inflation and double quadratic inflation. Utilizing both
analytic estimates and full numerical results, we find that corrections can be
as large as 20%. Our results have implications for many existing models in the
literature, as these corrections must be included to obtain accurate
observational predictions -- particularly given the level of accuracy expected
from CMB experiments such as PlanckComment: v1: 21 pages, 3 figures, 1 appendix. v2: clarifications to
{\S}{\S}2.1, 3.1 and 4, {\S}5.3 added, references added, results unchanged.
Matches published version in JCA
A Statistical Approach to Multifield Inflation: Many-field Perturbations Beyond Slow Roll
We study multifield contributions to the scalar power spectrum in an ensemble
of six-field inflationary models obtained in string theory. We identify
examples in which inflation occurs by chance, near an approximate inflection
point, and we compute the primordial perturbations numerically, both exactly
and using an array of truncated models. The scalar mass spectrum and the number
of fluctuating fields are accurately described by a simple random matrix model.
During the approach to the inflection point, bending trajectories and
violations of slow roll are commonplace, and 'many-field' effects, in which
three or more fields influence the perturbations, are often important. However,
in a large fraction of models consistent with constraints on the tilt the
signatures of multifield evolution occur on unobservably large scales. Our
scenario is a concrete microphysical realization of quasi-single-field
inflation, with scalar masses of order , but the cubic and quartic couplings
are typically too small to produce detectable non-Gaussianity. We argue that
our results are characteristic of a broader class of models arising from
multifield potentials that are natural in the Wilsonian sense.Comment: 39 pages, 17 figures. References added. Matches version published in
JCA
Detecting relic gravitational waves in the CMB: A statistical bias
Analyzing the imprint of relic gravitational waves (RGWs) on the cosmic
microwave background (CMB) power spectra provides a way to determine the signal
of RGWs. In this Letter, we discuss a statistical bias, which could exist in
the data analysis and has the tendency to overlook the RGWs. We also explain
why this bias exists, and how to avoid it.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figur
Perturbation Theory in k-Inflation Coupled to Matter
We consider k-inflation models where the action is a non-linear function of
both the inflaton and the inflaton kinetic term. We focus on a scalar-tensor
extension of k-inflation coupled to matter for which we derive a modified
Mukhanov-Sasaki equation for the curvature perturbation. Significant
corrections to the power spectrum appear when the coupling function changes
abruptly along the inflationary trajectory. This gives rise to a modification
of Starobinsky's model of perturbation features. We analyse the way the power
spectrum is altered in the infrared when such features are present.Comment: 20 pages, 1 figur
Optimal bispectrum constraints on single-field models of inflation
We use WMAP 9-year bispectrum data to constrain the free parameters of an 'effective field theory' describing fluctuations in single-field inflation. The Lagrangian of the theory contains a finite number of operators associated with unknown mass scales. Each operator produces a fixed bispectrum shape, which we decompose into partial waves in order to construct a likelihood function. Based on this likelihood we are able to constrain four linearly independent combinations of the mass scales. As an example of our framework we specialize our results to the case of 'Dirac-Born-Infeld' and 'ghost' inflation and obtain the posterior probability for each model, which in Bayesian schemes is a useful tool for model comparison. Our results suggest that DBI-like models with two or more free parameters are disfavoured by the data by comparison with single parameter models in the same class
Can surface flux transport account for the weak polar field in cycle 23?
To reproduce the weak magnetic field on the polar caps of the Sun observed
during the declining phase of cycle 23 poses a challenge to surface flux
transport models since this cycle has not been particularly weak. We use a
well-calibrated model to evaluate the parameter changes required to obtain
simulated polar fields and open flux that are consistent with the observations.
We find that the low polar field of cycle 23 could be reproduced by an increase
of the meridional flow by 55% in the last cycle. Alternatively, a decrease of
the mean tilt angle of sunspot groups by 28% would also lead to a similarly low
polar field, but cause a delay of the polar field reversals by 1.5 years in
comparison to the observations.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figures, Space Science Reviews, accepte
Fields Annihilation and Particles Creation in DBI inflation
We consider a model of DBI inflation where two stacks of mobile branes are
moving ultra relativistically in a warped throat. The stack closer to the tip
of the throat is annihilated with the background anti-branes while inflation
proceeds by the second stack. The effects of branes annihilation and particles
creation during DBI inflation on the curvature perturbations power spectrum and
the scalar spectral index are studied. We show that for super-horizon scales,
modes which are outside the sound horizon at the time of branes collision, the
spectral index has a shift to blue spectrum compared to the standard DBI
inflation. For small scales the power spectrum approaches to its background DBI
inflation value with the decaying superimposed oscillatory modulations.Comment: First revision: minor changes, the background spectral index is
corrected, new references are added. Second revision: minor changes, new
references are added, accepted for publication in JCA
The Inflationary Wavefunction and its Initial Conditions
We explore the effect of initial conditions on the inflationary wavefunction
and their consequences for the observed spectrum of primordial fluctuations. In
a class of models with a sudden transition into inflation we find that, for a
reasonable set of assumptions about the reheat temperature and the number of
e-foldings, it is possible for initial conditions set by a pre-inflationary
epoch to have an observable effect.Comment: 17 pages, 1 figure, numerical example and analysis thereof added in
this versio
Combined local and equilateral non-Gaussianities from multifield DBI inflation
We study multifield aspects of Dirac-Born-Infeld (DBI) inflation. More
specifically, we consider an inflationary phase driven by the radial motion of
a D-brane in a conical throat and determine how the D-brane fluctuations in the
angular directions can be converted into curvature perturbations when the
tachyonic instability arises at the end of inflation. The simultaneous presence
of multiple fields and non-standard kinetic terms gives both local and
equilateral shapes for non-Gaussianities in the bispectrum. We also study the
trispectrum, pointing out that it acquires a particular momentum dependent
component whose amplitude is given by . We show that
this relation is valid in every multifield DBI model, in particular for any
brane trajectory, and thus constitutes an interesting observational signature
of such scenarios.Comment: 38 pages, 11 figures. Typos corrected; references added. This version
matches the one in press by JCA
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