Constraints from inflation on scalar-tensor gravity theories

International Journal of Geometric Methods in Modern Physics

The equivalence between [Formula: see text] and scalar–tensor theories is revisited, we consequently explored different [Formula: see text] models. After consideration of specific definition of the scalar field, we derived the potentials [Formula: see text] for each [Formula: see text] model focusing on the early Universe, mostly the inflation epoch. For a given potential, we applied the slow-roll approximation approach to each [Formula: see text] model and obtained the expressions for the spectral index [Formula: see text] and tensor-to-scalar ratio [Formula: see text]. We determined the corresponding numerical values associated with each of the [Formula: see text] models. Our results showed that for certain choice of parameter space, the values of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are consistent with the Planck survey results and others produce numerical values that are in the same range as suggested by Planck data. We further constructed the Klein–Gordon equations (KGEs...

Arxiv preprint arXiv:1202.2767, 2012

We study the cosmological perturbations of the new bi-metric gravity proposed by Hassan and Rosen [1] as a representation of massive gravity. The mass term in the model, in addition of ensuring ghost freedom for both metrics, causes the two scale factors to mix at the cosmological level and this affects the cosmological perturbation of the model. We find two combinations corresponding to the entropy and adiabatic perturbations of the theory. In this sense we show that the adiabatic perturbations could be a source for the entropy perturbations. So in addition to the adiabatic perturbations, entropy perturbations can also be present in this theory. We also show that the adiabatic perturbations are not constant at the super horizon scales, implying that the theory could not be used to describe the inflationary epoch, even if it can impose some corrections to the standard inflationary scenarios.

Proceedings of Corfu Summer Institute 2018 "School and Workshops on Elementary Particle Physics and Gravity" — PoS(CORFU2018)

Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, 2004

Using the techniques of out-of-equilibrium field theory, we study the influence on the properties of cosmological perturbations generated during inflation on observable scales coming from fluctuations corresponding today to scales much bigger than the present Hubble radius. We write the effective action for the coarse-grained inflaton perturbations integrating out the sub-horizon modes, which manifest themselves as a colored noise and lead to memory effects. Using the simple model of a scalar field with cubic self-interactions evolving in a fixed de Sitter background, we evaluate the two-and three-point correlation function on observable scales. Our basic procedure shows that perturbations do preserve some memory of the super-horizon-scale dynamics, in the form of scale-dependent imprints in the statistical moments. In particular, we find a blue tilt of the powerspectrum on large scales, in agreement with the recent results of the WMAP collaboration which show a suppression of the lower multipoles in the Cosmic Microwave Background anisotropies, and a substantial enhancement of the intrinsic non-Gaussianity on large scales.

Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, 2005

We explain why it is so difficult and perhaps even impossible to increase the cosmological tensorto-scalar perturbation ratio during the post-inflationary evolution of the universe. Nevertheless, contrary to some recent claims, tensor perturbations can be relatively large in the simplest inflationary models which do not violate any rules of modern quantum field theory.

arXiv (Cornell University), 2008

We propose an extension of the well-known formalism for gauge-invariant scalar metric fluctuations, to study the spectrums for both, the inflaton and gauge invariant (scalar) metric fluctuations in the framework of a single field inflationary model where the quasi-exponential expansion is driven by an inflation which is minimally coupled to gravity. The proposal is valid also for fluctuations with large amplitude, but for cosmological scales, where vector and tensor perturbations can be neglected and the fluid is irrotacional.

Physical Review D, 2001

Adiabatic (curvature) perturbations are produced during a period of cosmological inflation that is driven by a single scalar field, the inflaton. On particle physics grounds -though -it is natural to expect that this scalar field is coupled to other scalar degrees of freedom. This gives rise to oscillations between the perturbation of the inflaton field and the perturbations of the other scalar degrees of freedom, similar to the phenomenon of neutrino oscillations. Since the degree of the mixing is governed by the squared mass matrix of the scalar fields, the oscillations can occur even if the energy density of the extra scalar fields is much smaller than the energy density of the inflaton field. The probability of oscillation is resonantly amplified when perturbations cross the horizon and the perturbations in the inflaton field may disappear at horizon crossing giving rise to perturbations in scalar fields other than the inflaton. Adiabatic and isocurvature perturbations are inevitably correlated at the end of inflation and we provide a simple expression for the cross-correlation in terms of the slow-roll parameters.

Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, 2014

In this article we discuss the role of current and future CMB measurements to pin down the model of inflation responsible for the generation of primordial curvature perturbations. By considering a parameterization of the effective field theory of inflation with a modified dispersion relation arising from heavy fields, we derive the dependence of cosmological observables on the scale of heavy physics Λ UV . Specifically, we show how the f NL non-linearity parameters are related to the phase velocity of curvature perturbations at horizon exit, which is parameterized by Λ UV . Bicep2 and Planck findings are shown to be consistent with a value Λ UV ∼ Λ GUT . However, we find a degeneracy in the parameter space of inflationary models that can only be resolved with a detailed knowledge of the shape of the non-Gaussian bispectrum.

We revisit an extension of the well-known formalism for gauge-invariant scalar metric fluctuations, to study the spectrums for both, the inflaton and gauge invariant (scalar) metric fluctuations in the framework of a single field inflationary model where the quasi-exponential expansion is driven by an inflation which is minimally coupled to gravity. The proposal here examined is valid also for fluctuations with large amplitude, but for cosmological scales, where vector and tensor perturbations can be neglected and the fluid is irrotacional. *

Though predictions of the simplest inflationary cosmological models with cold dark matter, flat space and approximately flat initial spectrum of adiabatic perturbations are remarkably close to observational data, we have to go beyond them and to introduce new physics not yet discovered in laboratories to account for all data. Two extensions of these models which seem to be the most actual at present time are discussed. The first one is the possibility that we are living at the beginning of a new inflation-like era. Then classical cosmological tests, like the luminosity distance or the angular size of distant objects as functions of redshift, as well as the behaviour of density perturbations in a dustlike matter component including baryons as a function of redshift, can provide information sufficient for the unambiguous determination of an effective potential of a corresponding present inflaton scalar field. The second, unrelated extension is a possibility of brokenscale-invariant cosmological models which have localized steps or spikes in the primordial perturbation spectrum. These features can be produced by fast phase transitions in physical fields other than an inflaton field in the early Universe during inflation and not far from the end of it. At present, it seems that the only scale in the spectrum around which we might see something of this type is k = 0.05 h Mpc −1 .

1996

We discuss metric perturbations produced during a period of inflation in the early universe where two scalar fields evolve. The final scalar perturbation spectrum can be calculated in terms of the perturbed expansion along neighbouring trajectories in field-space. In the usual single field case this is fixed by the values of the fields at horizon-crossing, but in the presence of more than one field there is no longer a unique slow-roll trajectory. The presence of entropy as well as adiabatic fluctuations means that the super-horizon-sized metric perturbation ζ may no longer be conserved and the evolution must be integrated along the whole of the subsequent trajectory. In general there is an inequality between the ratio of tensor to scalar perturbations and the tilt of the gravitational wave spectrum, which becomes an equality when only adiabatic perturbations are possible and ζ is conserved.

General Relativity, Cosmology and Astrophysics, 2014

We review recent developments in the theory of inflation and cosmological perturbations produced from inflation. After a brief introduction of the standard, single-field slow-roll inflation, and the curvature and tensor perturbations produced from it, we discuss possible sources of nonlinear, non-Gaussian perturbations in other models of inflation. Then we describe the so-called δN formalism, which is a powerful tool for evaluating nonlinear curvature perturbations on super Hubble scales.

Physical Review D

In this work, we investigate warm inflationary models in the context of a general scalar-tensor theory of gravity which is coupled to radiation through a dissipation term. We first derive the potential of exponential and hyperbolic tangent forms. We consider a dissipation parameter of the form Γ = C 1 T with C 1 being a coupling parameter and focus only on the strong regime of which the interaction between inflaton and radiation fluid has been taken into account. We compute inflationary observables and constrain the parameters of our model using current Planck 2018 data. From our analysis, we discover that the weak coupling limit ξ 1 is needed in order to have the derived n s and r consistent with the Planck 2018 observational constraints. Particularly, we constrain the potential scale V 0 of the models.

We explore conformal-anomaly driven inflation in F (R) gravity without invoking the scalar-tensor representation. We derive the stress-energy tensor of the quantum anomaly in the flat homogeneous and isotropic universe. We investigate a suitable toy model of exponential gravity plus the quantum contribution due to the conformal anomaly, which leads to the de Sitter solution. It is shown that in F (R) gravity model, the curvature perturbations with its enough amplitude consistent with the observations are generated during inflation. We also evaluate the number of e-folds at the inflationary stage and the spectral index ns of scalar modes of the curvature perturbations by analogy with scalar tensor theories, and compare them with the observational data. As a result, it is found that the Ricci scalar decreases during inflation and the standard evolution history of the universe is recovered at the small curvature regime. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that in our model, the tensor-to-scalar ratio of the curvature perturbations can be a finite value within the 68% CL error of the very recent result found by the BICEP2 experiment.

Physics Reports, 1999

This is a review of particle-theory models of inflation, and of their predictions for the primordial density perturbation that is thought to be the origin of structure in the Universe. It contains mini-reviews of the relevant observational cosmology, of elementary field theory and of supersymmetry, that may be of interest in their own right. The spectral index n(k), specifying the scale-dependence of the spectrum of the curvature perturbation, will be a powerful discriminator between models, when it is measured by Planck with accuracy ∆n ∼ 0.01. The usual formula for n is derived, as well as its less familiar extension to the case of a multi-component inflaton; in both cases the key ingredient is the separate evolution of causally disconnected regions of the Universe. Primordial gravitational waves will be an even more powerful discriminator if they are observed, since most models of inflation predict that they are completely negligible. We treat in detail the new wave of models, which are firmly rooted in modern particle theory and have supersymmetry as a crucial ingredient. The review is addressed to both astrophysicists and particle physicists, and each section is fairly homogeneous regarding the assumed background knowledge.