Related papers: Parity-Odd and Even Trispectrum from Axion Inflati…
A simple realization of inflation consists of adding the following operators to the Einstein-Hilbert action: (partial phi)^2, lambda phi^4, and xi phi^2 R, with xi a large non-minimal coupling. Recently there has been much discussion as to…
Parity-odd four-point correlation functions, or trispectra, of cosmic matter density fields provide a unique probe of fundamental symmetries in cosmology. Trispectra of primordial matter density fluctuations produced in the early universe…
Vector inflation is a newly established model where inflation is driven by non-minimally coupled massive vector fields with a potential term. This model is similar to the model of chaotic inflation with scalar fields, except that for vector…
The evolution of high order correlation functions of a test scalar field in arbitrary inflationary backgrounds is computed. Whenever possible, exact results are derived from quantum field theory calculations. Taking advantage of the fact…
We present a model of inflation where the inflaton is accommodated as a phantom field which exhibits an initial transient pole behavior and then decays into a quintessence field which is responsible for a radiation era. We must stress that…
We discuss the coupled Einstein-Klein-Gordon equations for a complex scalar field with and without a quartic self-interaction in a zero curvature Friedman-Lema\^{\i}tre Universe. The complex scalar field, as well as the metric, is…
A scale-invariant universe can have a period of accelerated expansion at early times: inflation. We use a frame-invariant approach to calculate inflationary observables in a scale invariant theory of gravity involving two scalar fields -…
A double hybrid inflationary scenario in non-minimal supergravity which can predict values of the tensor-to-scalar ratio up to about 0.05 is presented. Larger values of this ratio would require unacceptably large running of the scalar…
We compute the three-point cross-correlation function of the primordial curvature perturbation generated during inflation with two powers of a vector field in a model where conformal invariance is broken by a direct coupling of the vector…
The primordial power spectrum informs the possible inflationary histories of our universe. Given a power spectrum, the ensuing cosmic microwave background is calculated and compared to the observed one. Thus, one focus of modern cosmology…
We consider small-field models which invoke the usual framework for the effective field theory, and large-field models which go beyond that. Present and future possibilities for discriminating between the models are assessed, on the…
With the advent of new missions to probe spectral distortions of the cosmic microwave background with unprecedented precision, the study of theoretical predictions of these signals becomes a promising avenue to test our description of the…
A gravitational wave background is expected to emerge from the superposition of numerous gravitational wave sources of both astrophysical and cosmological origin. A number of cosmological models can have a parity violation, resulting in the…
We briefly summarize and update a class of inflationary models from the early eighties based on a quartic (Coleman-Weinberg) potential for a gauge singlet scalar (inflaton) field. For vacuum energy scales comparable to the grand unification…
We consider the Chern--Simons term coupled to the inflaton in the Palatini formulation of general relativity. In contrast to the metric formulation, here the Chern--Simons term affects also the background evolution. We approximately solve…
Parity-odd domains, corresponding to non-trivial topological solutions of the QCD vacuum, might be created during relativistic heavy ion collisions. These domains are predicted to lead to charge separation of quarks along the system's…
Several models of inflation employing a triplet of SU(2) vectors with spatially orthogonal vacuum expectation values (VEVs) have been recently proposed. One (tensor) combination $t$ of the vector modes is amplified in some momentum range…
Solid inflation is a cosmological model where inflation is driven by fields which enter the Lagrangian in the same way as body coordinates of a solid matter enter the equation of state, spontaneously breaking spatial translational and…
We re-examine large scalar fields within effective field theory, in particular focussing on the issues raised by their use in inflationary models (as suggested by BICEP2 to obtain primordial tensor modes). We argue that when the large-field…
We present a new class of two-field inflationary attractor models, known as `shift-symmetric orbital inflation', whose behaviour is strongly multi-field but whose predictions are remarkably close to those of single-field inflation. In these…