Cosmological Inflation: Theory and Observations
Astrophysics
2010-04-30 v2 General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
High Energy Physics - Theory
Abstract
In this article we review the theory of cosmological inflation with a particular focus on the beautiful connection it provides between the physics of the very small and observations of the very large. We explain how quantum mechanical fluctuations during the inflationary era become macroscopic density fluctuations which leave distinct imprints in the cosmic microwave background (CMB). We describe the physics of anisotropies in the CMB temperature and polarization and discuss how CMB observations can be used to probe the primordial universe.
Cite
@article{arxiv.0810.3022,
title = {Cosmological Inflation: Theory and Observations},
author = {Daniel Baumann and Hiranya V. Peiris},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0810.3022},
year = {2010}
}
Comments
18 pages, 12 figures. Invited review to appear in Advanced Science Letters Special Issue on Quantum Gravity, Cosmology and Black Holes. v2: published version, minor clarifications and references added