Non-Gaussianity from Symmetry

We point out that a light scalar field fluctuating around a symmetry-enhaced point can generate large non-Gaussianity in density fluctuations. We name such a particle as an "ungaussiton", a scalar field dominantly produced by the quantum fluctuations,generating sizable non-Gaussianity in the density fluctuations. We derive a consistency relation between the bispectrum and the trispectrum, tau_NL = 10^3 f_NL^(4/3), which can be extended to arbitrary high order correlation functions. If such a relation is confirmed by future observations, it will strongly support this mechanism.Comment: 26 pages, 1 figure;v2 discussion and references added. To appear in JCA

Non-Gaussianity from isocurvature perturbations

We develop a formalism to study non-Gaussianity in both curvature and isocurvature perturbations. It is shown that non-Gaussianity in the isocurvature perturbation between dark matter and photons leaves distinct signatures in the CMB temperature fluctuations, which may be confirmed in future experiments, or possibly, even in the currently available observational data. As an explicit example, we consider the QCD axion and show that it can actually induce sizable non-Gaussianity for the inflationary scale, H_{inf} = O(10^9 - 10^{11})GeV.Comment: 24 pages, 6 figures; references added; version to appear in JCA

Higher Order Corrections to the Primordial Gravitational Wave Spectrum and its Impact on Parameter Estimates for Inflation

We study the impact of the use of the power series expression for the primordial tensor spectrum on parameter estimation from future direct detection gravitational wave experiments. The spectrum approximated by the power series expansion may give large deviation from the true (fiducial) value when it is normalized at CMB scale because of the large separation between CMB and direct detection scales. We derive the coefficients of the higher order terms of the expansion up to the sixth order within the framework of the slow-roll approximation and investigate how well the inclusion of higher order terms improves the analytic prediction of the spectrum amplitude by comparing with numerical results. Using the power series expression, we consider future constraints on inflationary parameters expected from direct detection experiments of the inflationary gravitational wave background and show that the truncation of the higher order terms can lead to incorrect evaluation of the parameters. We present two example models; a quadratic chaotic inflation model and mixed inflaton and curvaton model with a quartic inflaton potential.Comment: 25 pages, 7 figures, revised version accepted by JCA

Non-linear isocurvature perturbations and non-Gaussianities

We study non-linear primordial adiabatic and isocurvature perturbations and their non-Gaussianity. After giving a general formulation in the context of an extended delta N-formalism, we analyse in detail two illustrative examples. The first is a mixed curvaton-inflaton scenario in which fluctuations of both the inflaton and a curvaton (a light isocurvature field during inflation) contribute to the primordial density perturbation. The second example is that of double inflation involving two decoupled massive scalar fields during inflation. In the mixed curvaton-inflaton scenario we find that the bispectrum of primordial isocurvature perturbations may be large and comparable to the bispectrum of adiabatic curvature perturbations.Comment: 24 pages, typos corrected, references adde

Exact Wave Propagation in a Spacetime with a Cosmic String

We present exact solutions of the massless Klein-Gordon equation in a spacetime in which an infinite straight cosmic string resides. The first solution represents a plane wave entering perpendicular to the string direction. We also present and analyze a solution with a static point-like source. In the short wavelength limit these solutions approach the results obtained by using the geometrical optics approximation: magnification occurs if the observer lies in front of the string within a strip of angular width $8\pi G\mu$, where $\mu$ is the string tension. We find that when the distance from the observer to the string is less than $10^{-3} {(G \mu)}^{-2}\lambda \sim 150 {\rm Mpc} (\lambda/{\rm AU}) (G\mu/10^{-8})^{-2}$, where $\lambda$ is the wave length, the magnification is significantly reduced compared with the estimate based on the geometrical optics due to the diffraction effect. For gravitational waves from neutron star(NS)-NS mergers the several lensing events per year may be detected by DECIGO/BBO.Comment: 15 pages, 8 figures, reference adde

Curvaton Dynamics and the Non-Linearity Parameters in Curvaton Model

We investigate the curvaton dynamics and the non-linearity parameters in curvaton model with potential slightly deviating from the quadratic form in detail. The non-linearity parameter $g_{NL}$ will show up due to the curvaton self-interaction. We also point out that the leading order of non-quadratic term in the curvaton potential can be negative, for example in the axion-type curvaton model. If a large positive $g_{NL}$ is detected, the axion-type curvaton model will be preferred.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figures; refs adde

Supergravity based inflation models: a review

In this review, we discuss inflation models based on supergravity. After explaining the difficulties in realizing inflation in the context of supergravity, we show how to evade such difficulties. Depending on types of inflation, we give concrete examples, particularly paying attention to chaotic inflation because the ongoing experiments like Planck might detect the tensor perturbations in near future. We also discuss inflation models in Jordan frame supergravity, motivated by Higgs inflation.Comment: 30 pages, invited review for Classical and Quantum Gravity, published versio

Strongly scale-dependent polyspectra from curvaton self-interactions

We study the scale dependence of the non-linearity parameters f_NL and g_NL in curvaton models with self-interactions. We show that the spectral indices n_fNL=d ln|f_NL|/(d ln k) and n_gNL=d ln |g_NL|/(d ln k) can take values much greater than the slow--roll parameters and the spectral index of the power spectrum. This means that the scale--dependence of the bi and trispectrum could be easily observable in this scenario with Planck, which would lead to tight additional constraints on the model. Inspite of the highly non-trivial behaviour of f_NL and g_NL in the curvaton models with self-interactions, we find that the model can be falsified if g_NL(k) is also observed.Comment: 19 pages, many figures. v2: Figure 4 replaced with a corrected normalisation, conclusions unchanged. Matches version published in JCA

Primordial Non-Gaussianities of General Multiple Field Inflation

We perform a general study of the primordial scalar non-Gaussianities in multi-field inflationary models in Einstein gravity. We consider models governed by a Lagrangian which is a general function of the scalar fields and their first spacetime derivatives. We use $\delta N$ formalism to relate scalar fields and curvature perturbations. We calculate the explicit cubic order perturbation action and the three-point function of curvature perturbation evaluated at horizon-crossing. Under reasonable assumptions, in the limit of small slow-varying parameters and a sound speed $c_s$ close to one, we find that the non-Gaussianity is completely determined by these slow-varying parameters and some other parameters determined by the structure of the inflationary models. Our work generalizes previous results, and would be useful to study non-Gaussianity in multi-field inflationary models that will be constructed in the future.Comment: 26 pages, no figure; v2, minor revision; v3 minor misprints corrected; v4 minor misprints correcte

Curvaton with Polynomial Potential

In general a weakly self-interacting curvaton field is expected and the curvaton potential takes the polynomial form. The curvaton potential can be dominated by the self-interaction term during the period of inflation if the curvaton field stays at a large vacuum expectation value. We use the $\delta {\cal N}$ formalism to calculate the primordial curvature perturbation in the various possible scenarios which make the curvaton model much richer.Comment: 18 pages; a mistake in sec.2.2.2 corrected, enhancement of $g_{NL}$ in the mixed scenarion discussed, version for publication in JCA