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

The analysis of facial beauty: an emerging area of research in pattern analysis

Much research presented recently supports the idea that the human perception of attractiveness is data-driven and largely irrespective of the perceiver. This suggests using pattern analysis techniques for beauty analysis. Several scientific papers on this subject are appearing in image processing, computer vision and pattern analysis contexts, or use techniques of these areas. In this paper, we will survey the recent studies on automatic analysis of facial beauty, and discuss research lines and practical application

Inflationary models inducing non-Gaussian metric fluctuations

We construct explicit models of multi-field inflation in which the primordial metric fluctuations do not necessarily obey Gaussian statistics. These models are realizations of mechanisms in which non-Gaussianity is first generated by a light scalar field and then transferred into curvature fluctuations. The probability distribution functions of the metric perturbation at the end of inflation are computed. This provides a guideline for designing strategies to search for non-Gaussian signals in future CMB and large scale structure surveys.Comment: 4 pages, 7 figure

Inflation and late time acceleration in braneworld cosmological models with varying brane tension

Braneworld models with variable brane tension $\lambda$ introduce a new degree of freedom that allows for evolving gravitational and cosmological constants, the latter being a natural candidate for dark energy. We consider a thermodynamic interpretation of the varying brane tension models, by showing that the field equations with variable $\lambda$ can be interpreted as describing matter creation in a cosmological framework. The particle creation rate is determined by the variation rate of the brane tension, as well as by the brane-bulk energy-matter transfer rate. We investigate the effect of a variable brane tension on the cosmological evolution of the Universe, in the framework of a particular model in which the brane tension is an exponentially dependent function of the scale factor. The resulting cosmology shows the presence of an initial inflationary expansion, followed by a decelerating phase, and by a smooth transition towards a late accelerated de Sitter type expansion. The varying brane tension is also responsible for the generation of the matter in the Universe (reheating period). The physical constraints on the model parameters, resulted from the observational cosmological data, are also investigated.Comment: 25 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in European Physical Journal

Constraints on the mass spectrum of primordial black holes and braneworld parameters from the high-energy diffuse photon background

We investigate the spectral shape of a high-energy diffuse photon emitted by evaporating primordial black holes (PBHs) in the Randall-Sundrum type II (RS2) braneworld. In their braneworld scenario, the nature of small PBHs is drastically modified from the ordinary four-dimensional case for the following two reasons. (i) dropping Hawking temperature, which equivalently lengthens the lifetime of the individual PBH due to the change of space-time topology and (ii) the effective increase of the total amount of PBHs caused by accretion during the earliest part of the radiation-dominated epoch, the brane high-energy phase. From studies of the expected spectral shape and its dependence on braneworld parameters, we obtain two qualitatively distinctive possibilities of constraints on the braneworld PBHs from the observations of diffuse high-energy photon background. If the efficiency of accretion in the high-energy phase exceeds a critical value, the existence of the extra dimension gives a more stringent upper bound on the abundance of PBHs than the 4D case and a small length scale for the extra dimension is favored. On the contrary, in the case below the critical accretion efficiency, we find that the constraint on the PBH abundance can be relaxed by a few orders of magnitude in exchange for the existence of the large extra dimension; its size may be even bounded in the region above 10^{19} times 4D Planck length scale provided the rest mass energy density of the PBHs relative to energy density of radiation is actually larger than 10^{-27} (4D upper bound) at their formation time. The above analytical studies are also confirmed numerically, and an allowed region for braneworld parameters and PBH abundance is clearly obtained.Comment: 16 pages, 8 figures, REVTeX4; version published in PR