English

A numerical study of non-gaussianity in the curvaton scenario

Astrophysics 2009-11-11 v3 General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology High Energy Physics - Phenomenology

Abstract

We study the curvaton scenario using gauge-invariant second order perturbation theory and solving the governing equations numerically. Focusing on large scales we calculate the non-linearity parameter f_nl in the two-fluid curvaton model and compare our results with previous analytical studies employing the sudden decay approximation. We find good agreement of the two approaches for large curvaton energy densities at curvaton decay, Omega_dec, but significant differences of up to 10 percent for small Omega_dec.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.astro-ph/0604387,
  title  = {A numerical study of non-gaussianity in the curvaton scenario},
  author = {Karim A. Malik and David H. Lyth},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:astro-ph/0604387},
  year   = {2009}
}

Comments

15 pages, 9 figures, some in colour; v2: references added, typos corrected, section on curvaton evolution added; v3: typos corrected, corresponds to journal version