Related papers: Universal Non-Gaussian Signatures from Transient I…
We apply the Effective Field Theory of Inflation to study the case where the continuous shift symmetry of the Goldstone boson \pi is softly broken to a discrete subgroup. This case includes and generalizes recently proposed String Theory…
We develop a numerical statistical method to study linear cosmological fluctuations in inflationary scenarios with multiple fields, and apply it to an ensemble of six-field inflection point models in string theory. The latter are concrete…
We study the scalar-tensor-tensor non-Gaussian signal in an inflationary model comprising also an axion coupled with SU(2) gauge fields. In this set-up, metric fluctuations are sourced by the gauge fields already at the linear level…
The physics during the inflationary stage of the universe is of quantum nature involving extremely high energy densities. Moreover, it is out of equilibrium on a fastly expanding dynamical geometry.We present in these lectures…
Primordial non-Gaussianities (PNGs) are imprints in the initial density field sourced by the dynamics of inflation. These dynamics can induce scale dependence, oscillations, and other features in the primordial bispectrum. We analyze a…
We show how we can implement chaotic inflation in the context of supergravity by conveniently selecting the functional form of a strong enough non-minimal coupling between the inflaton and the Ricci scalar curvature. The procedure can be…
We examine the effect of a trans-Planckian phase on the dynamics of inflationary tensor perturbations. To remedy the fact that this regime is not fully captured by standard perturbation theory, we introduce an effective quantum noise…
(Shortened abstract) While a featureless, nearly scale invariant, primordial scalar power spectrum fits the most recent CMB data rather well, certain features in the spectrum are known to lead to a better fit to the data (although, the…
The Standard Model Higgs becomes tachyonic at high energy scales according to current measurements. This unstable regime of the Higgs potential can be realized in the early Universe during high scale inflation, potentially with catastrophic…
We show that an inflation model in which a spectator axion field is coupled to an SU(2) gauge field produces a large three-point function (bispectrum) of primordial gravitational waves, $B_{h}$, on the scales relevant to the cosmic…
Primordial non-Gaussianities from multi-field inflation are a leading target for cosmological observations, because of the possible large correlations generated between long and short distances. These signatures are captured by the local…
Motivated by the prospect of testing inflation from precision cosmic microwave background observations, we present analytic results for scalar and tensor perturbations in single-field inflation models based on the application of uniform…
We calculate the bispectrum of primordial curvature perturbations, \zeta, generated during "open inflation." Inflation occurs inside a bubble nucleated via quantum tunneling from the background false vacuum state. Our universe lives inside…
The (large-scale) structures we observe in the Universe are classical, but within the inflationary scenario they do originate from quantum fluctuations. This leads to the question: ''How did this quantum-to-classical transition occur?''. A…
We perform a detailed analytical and numerical analysis of the multi-field evolution of Fibre Inflation and show that, regardless of the microscopic realisation of the model, the mass-squared of one of the two ultra-light axions becomes…
We study the dynamics of perturbations around nonthermal fixed points associated to universal scaling phenomena in quantum many-body systems far from equilibrium. For an N-component scalar quantum field theory in 3+1 space-time dimensions,…
We compute the universal generic corrections to the inflationary power spectrum due to unknown high-energy physics. We arrive at this result via a careful integrating out of massive fields in the "in-in" formalism yielding a consistent and…
The evolution of gauge invariant second-order scalar perturbations in a general single field inflationary scenario are presented. Different second order gauge invariant expressions for the curvature are considered. We evaluate…
We study cosmological tensor perturbations induced by second-order scalar perturbations in the presence of anisotropic non-Gaussianity. This class of induced tensor modes arises on superhorizon scales through the intrinsic quadrupole…
We investigate the spectrum of cosmological perturbations in a bounce cosmos modeled by a scalar field coupled to the string tachyon field (CSTB cosmos). By explicit computation of its primordial spectral index we show the power spectrum of…