21 research outputs found
Observing Brane Inflation
Linking the slow-roll scenario and the Dirac-Born-Infeld scenario of
ultra-relativistic roll (where, thanks to the warp factor, the inflaton moves
slowly even with an ultra-relativistic Lorentz factor), we find that the KKLMMT
D3/anti-D3 brane inflation is robust, that is, enough e-folds of inflation is
quite generic in the parameter space of the model. We show that the
intermediate regime of relativistic roll can be quite interesting
observationally. Introducing appropriate inflationary parameters, we explore
the parameter space and give the constraints and predictions for the
cosmological observables in this scenario. Among other properties, this
scenario allows the saturation of the present observational bound of either the
tensor/scalar ratio r (in the intermediate regime) or the non-Gaussianity f_NL
(in the ultra-relativistic regime), but not both.Comment: 31 pages, 12 figures; typo correcte
A Note on Noncommutative Brane Inflation
In this paper, we investigate the noncommutative KKLMMT D3/anti-D3 brane
inflation scenario in detail. Incorporation of the brane inflation scenario and
the noncommutative inflation scenario can nicely explain the large negative
running of the spectral index as indicated by WMAP three-year data and can
significantly release the fine-tuning for the parameter . Using the WMAP
three year results (blue-tilted spectral index with large negative running), we
explore the parameter space and give the constraints and predictions for the
inflationary parameters and cosmological observables in this scenario. We show
that this scenario predicts a quite large tensor/scalar ratio and what is more,
a too large cosmic string tension (assuming that the string coupling is
in its likely range from 0.1 to 1) to be compatible with the present
observational bound. A more detailed analysis reveals that this model has some
inconsistencies according to the fit to WMAP three year results.Comment: 20 pages, 5 figures; accepted for publication in JCA
Observational constraints on cosmic strings: Bayesian analysis in a three dimensional parameter space
Current data exclude cosmic strings as the primary source of primordial
density fluctuations. However, in a wide class of inflationary models, strings
can form at later stages of inflation and have potentially detectable
observational signatures. We study the constraints from WMAP and SDSS data on
the fraction of primordial fluctuations sourced by local cosmic strings. The
Bayesian analysis presented in this brief report is restricted to the minimal
number of parameters. Yet it is useful for two reasons. It confirms the results
of Pogosian et al (2003) using an alternative statistical method. Secondly, it
justifies the more costly multi-parameter analysis. Already, varying only three
parameters -- the spectral index and the amplitudes of the adiabatic and string
contributions -- we find that the upper bound on the cosmic string contribution
is of order 10%. We expect that the full multi-parameter study, currently
underway, will likely loosen this bound.Comment: v3: 4 pages, 5 figures, slight modifications to match published
versio
An Inflaton Mass Problem in String Inflation from Threshold Corrections to Volume Stabilization
Inflationary models whose vacuum energy arises from a D-term are believed not
to suffer from the supergravity eta problem of F-term inflation. That is,
D-term models have the desirable property that the inflaton mass can naturally
remain much smaller than the Hubble scale. We observe that this advantage is
lost in models based on string compactifications whose volume is stabilized by
a nonperturbative superpotential: the F-term energy associated with volume
stabilization causes the eta problem to reappear. Moreover, any shift
symmetries introduced to protect the inflaton mass will typically be lifted by
threshold corrections to the volume-stabilizing superpotential. Using threshold
corrections computed by Berg, Haack, and Kors, we illustrate this point in the
example of the D3-D7 inflationary model, and conclude that inflation is
possible, but only for fine-tuned values of the stabilized moduli. More
generally, we conclude that inflationary models in stable string
compactifications, even D-term models with shift symmetries, will require a
certain amount of fine-tuning to avoid this new contribution to the eta
problem.Comment: 25 page
Brane Inflation and Cosmic String Tension in Superstring Theory
In a simple reanalysis of the KKLMMT scenario, we argue that the slow roll
condition in the D3-anti-D3-brane inflationary scenario in superstring theory
requires no more than a moderate tuning. The cosmic string tension is very
sensitive to the conformal coupling: with less fine-tuning, the cosmic string
tension (as well as the ratio of tensor to scalar perturbation mode) increases
rapidly and can easily saturate the present observational bound. In a
multi-throat brane inflationary scenario, this feature substantially improves
the chance of detecting and measuring the properties of the cosmic strings as a
window to the superstring theory and our pre-inflationary universe.Comment: Combined bounds from WMAP and SDSS Lyman alpha experiments are added
for analysis, changes are added to the tabl
Comparing Brane Inflation to WMAP
We compare the simplest realistic brane inflationary model to recent
cosmological data, including WMAP 3-year cosmic microwave background (CMB)
results, Sloan Digital Sky Survey luminous red galaxies (SDSS LRG) power
spectrum data and Supernovae Legacy Survey (SNLS) Type 1a supernovae distance
measures. Here, the inflaton is simply the position of a -brane which is
moving towards a -brane sitting at the bottom of a throat (a warped,
deformed conifold) in the flux compactified bulk in Type IIB string theory. The
analysis includes both the usual slow-roll scenario and the Dirac-Born-Infeld
scenario of slow but relativistic rolling. Requiring that the throat is inside
the bulk greatly restricts the allowed parameter space. We discuss possible
scenarios in which large tensor mode and/or non-Gaussianity may emerge. Here,
the properties of a large tensor mode deviate from that in the usual slow-roll
scenario, providing a possible stringy signature. Overall, within the brane
inflationary scenario, the cosmological data is providing information about the
properties of the compactification of the extra dimensions.Comment: 45 pages 11 figure
Duality Cascade in Brane Inflation
We show that brane inflation is very sensitive to tiny sharp features in
extra dimensions, including those in the potential and in the warp factor. This
can show up as observational signatures in the power spectrum and/or
non-Gaussianities of the cosmic microwave background radiation (CMBR). One
general example of such sharp features is a succession of small steps in a
warped throat, caused by Seiberg duality cascade using gauge/gravity duality.
We study the cosmological observational consequences of these steps in brane
inflation. Since the steps come in a series, the prediction of other steps and
their properties can be tested by future data and analysis. It is also possible
that the steps are too close to be resolved in the power spectrum, in which
case they may show up only in the non-Gaussianity of the CMB temperature
fluctuations and/or EE polarization. We study two cases. In the slow-roll
scenario where steps appear in the inflaton potential, the sensitivity of brane
inflation to the height and width of the steps is increased by several orders
of magnitude comparing to that in previously studied large field models. In the
IR DBI scenario where steps appear in the warp factor, we find that the
glitches in the power spectrum caused by these sharp features are generally
small or even unobservable, but associated distinctive non-Gaussianity can be
large. Together with its large negative running of the power spectrum index,
this scenario clearly illustrates how rich and different a brane inflationary
scenario can be when compared to generic slow-roll inflation. Such distinctive
stringy features may provide a powerful probe of superstring theory.Comment: Corrections in Eq.(5.47), Eq (5.48), Eq(5.49) and Fig
Towards an Explicit Model of D-brane Inflation
We present a detailed analysis of an explicit model of warped D-brane
inflation, incorporating the effects of moduli stabilization. We consider the
potential for D3-brane motion in a warped conifold background that includes
fluxes and holomorphically-embedded D7-branes involved in moduli stabilization.
Although the D7-branes significantly modify the inflaton potential, they do not
correct the quadratic term in the potential, and hence do not cause a uniform
change in the slow-roll parameter eta. Nevertheless, we present a simple
example based on the Kuperstein embedding of D7-branes, z_1=constant, in which
the potential can be fine-tuned to be sufficiently flat for inflation. To
derive this result, it is essential to incorporate the fact that the
compactification volume changes slightly as the D3-brane moves. We stress that
the compactification geometry dictates certain relationships among the
parameters in the inflaton Lagrangian, and these microscopic constraints impose
severe restrictions on the space of possible models. We note that the shape of
the final inflaton potential differs from projections given in earlier studies:
in configurations where inflation occurs, it does so near an inflection point.
Finally, we comment on the difficulty of making precise cosmological
predictions in this scenario. This is the companion paper to arXiv:0705.3837.Comment: 68 pages, 6 figures; v2: fixed typos, added refs and clarifications;
v3: expanded discussion of inflection point inflatio
Seeking String Theory in the Cosmos
We review the existence, formation and properties of cosmic strings in string
theory, the wide variety of observational techniques that are being employed to
detect them, and the constraints that current observations impose on string
theory models.Comment: 25 pages; contribution for String Cosmology issue of Classical and
Quantum Gravity. References added and other improvements. Matches journal
versio