Related papers: A Potential Window to the GUT
Inflation is studied in the context of induced gravity (IG) $\gamma \sigma^2 R$, where $R$ is the Ricci scalar, $\sigma$ a scalar field and $\gamma$ a dimensionless constant, and diverse symmetry-breaking potentials $V(\sigma)$ are…
We propose a new approach to investigate inflation in a model-independent way, and in particular to elaborate the involved observables, through the introduction of the "scale factor potential". Through its use one can immediately determine…
If primordial scalar and tensor perturbation spectra can be inferred from observations of the cosmic background radiation and large-scale structure, then one might hope to reconstruct a unique single-field inflaton potential capable of…
We consider the inflationary universe with a spectator scalar field coupled to a $U(1)$ gauge field and calculate curvature perturbation and gravitational waves (GWs). We find that the sourced GWs can be larger than the one from vacuum…
We investigate two classes of inflationary models, which lead to a stiff period after inflation that boosts the signal of primordial gravitational waves (GWs). In both families of models studied, we consider an oscillating scalar…
We identify models of supersymmetric hybrid inflation in which the tensor-to-scalar ratio, a canonical measure of gravity waves produced during inflation, can be as large as 0.03 or so, which will be tested by the Planck satellite…
This paper is the third in a series of theorems which state how cosmological observations can provide evidence for an early phase of acceleration in the universe. Previous theorems demonstrated that the observed power spectrum for scalar…
Next-to-leading order expressions related to Stewart-Lyth inverse problem are used to determine the inflationary models with a tensorial power spectrum described by a scale-invariant spectral index. Beyond power-law inflation, solutions are…
A Friedman cosmology is investigated based on scalar-tensor gravitation with general metric coupling and scalar potential functions. We show that for a broad class of such functions, the scalar field can be dynamically trapped using a…
We reconsider the predictions of inflation for the spectral index of scalar (energy density) fluctuations (n_s) and the tensor/scalar ratio (r) using a discrete, model-independent measure of the degree of fine-tuning required to obtain a…
We use a mathematical approach based on the constraints systems in order to reconstruct the equation of state and the inflationary potential for the inflaton field from the observed spectral indices for the density perturbations $n_{s}$ and…
In this paper, we analyze the early-time inflation in a scalar-tensor theory of gravity where the scalar field is minimally coupled with the Gauss-Bonnet four dimensional topological invariant. The theory belongs to a class of Horndeski…
With an energy scale that can be as high as $10^{14}\,{\rm GeV}$, inflation may provide a unique probe of high-energy physics. Both scalar and tensor fluctuations generated during this early accelerated expansion contain crucial information…
We derive the power spectrum of primordial quantum fluctuations in an inflationary universe for curvature parameter ${\mathcal K}=1$. This is achieved through a Born--Oppenheimer type of approximation scheme from the Wheeler--DeWitt…
Within an expansion in slow-roll inflation parameters, we derive the complete second-order expressions relating the ratio of tensor to scalar density perturbations and the spectral index of the scalar spectrum. We find that ``corrections''…
Inflationary cosmology proposes that the early Universe undergoes accelerated expansion, driven, in simple scenarios, by a single scalar field, or inflaton. The form of the inflaton potential determines the initial spectra of density…
We examine a scalar-tensor model of gravity that is globally scale-invariant. When adapted to a spatially flat Robertson-Walker metric, the equations of motion describe a dynamical system that flows from an unstable de Sitter space to a…
Primordial gravitational waves (PGW) produced during inflation span a large range of frequencies, carrying information on the dynamics of the primordial universe. During an early scalar-tensor dominated epoch, the amplitude of the PGW…
We investigate the viability of inflation with a spectator sector comprised of non-Abelian gauge fields coupled through a higher order operator. We dub this model "spectator Gauge-flation". We study the predictions for the amplitude and…
The primordial spectrum of cosmological tensor perturbations is considered as a possible probe of quantum gravity effects. Together with string theory, loop quantum gravity is one of the most promising frameworks to study quantum effects in…