3 research outputs found
Multiple field inflation
Inflation offers a simple model for very early evolution of our Universe and
the origin of primordial perturbations on large scales. Over the last 25 years
we have become familiar with the predictions of single-field models, but
inflation with more than one light scalar field can alter preconceptions about
the inflationary dynamics and our predictions for the primordial perturbations.
I will discuss how future observational data could distinguish between
inflation driven by one field, or many fields. As an example, I briefly review
the curvaton as an alternative to the inflaton scenario for the origin of
structure.Comment: 27 pages, no figures. To appear in proceedings of 22nd IAP
Colloquium, Inflation +25, Paris, June 200
Particle physics models of inflation
Inflation models are compared with observation on the assumption that the
curvature perturbation is generated from the vacuum fluctuation of the inflaton
field. The focus is on single-field models with canonical kinetic terms,
classified as small- medium- and large-field according to the variation of the
inflaton field while cosmological scales leave the horizon. Small-field models
are constructed according to the usual paradigm for beyond Standard Model
physicsComment: Based on a talk given at the 22nd IAP Colloquium, ``Inflation +25'',
Paris, June 2006 Curve omitted from final Figur