Observational constraints on dual intermediate inflation

We study non-Gaussianity, the spectral index of primordial scalar fluctuations and tensor modes in models where fluctuations from the inflaton and the curvaton can both contribute to the present cosmic density fluctuations. Even though simple single-field inflation models generate only tiny non-Gaussianity, if we consider such a mixed scenario, large non-Gaussianity can be produced. Furthermore, we study the inflationary parameters such as the spectral index and the tensor-to-scalar ratio in this kind of models and discuss in what cases models predict the spectral index and tensor modes allowed by the current data while generating large non-Gaussianity, which may have many implications for model-buildings of the inflationary universe.

There are several approaches to quantum gravitational corrections of black hole thermodynamics. String theory and loop quantum gravity, by direct analysis on the basis of quantum properties of black holes, show that in the entropy–area relation the leading order correction should be of log-area type. On the other hand, generalized uncertainty principle (GUP) and modified dispersion relations (MDRs) provide perturbational framework for such modifications. Although both GUP and MDRs are common features of all quantum gravity scenarios, their functional forms are quantum gravity model dependent. Since both string theory and loop quantum gravity give more reliable solution of the black hole thermodynamics, one can use their results to test approximate results of GUP and MDRs. In this Letter, we find quantum corrected black hole thermodynamics in the framework of GUP and MDR and then we compare our results with string theory solutions. This comparison suggests severe constraints on the functional form of GUP and MDRs. These constraints may reflect characteristic features of ultimate quantum gravity theory.

Corrections to the Cardy–Verlinde formula from the modified dispersion relation in extra dimensions

Complexity will be more and more essential in high-energy physics. It is naturally extended into the very early universe. Considering the universe as a quantum chaotic system, the curvature perturbation of the scalar field is identified with the two-mode squeezed state. By solving the Schrödinger equation, one can obtain the numerical solutions of the angle parameter and squeezing parameter. The solution of the squeezing parameter mainly determines the evolution of complexity. Our numeric indicates that the complexity of the modified dispersion relation will have a non-linear pattern after the horizon exits. Meanwhile, its corresponding Lyapunov index is also larger compared with the standard case. During the inflationary period, the complexity will irregularly oscillate and its scrambling time is also shorter compared with the standard case. Since the modified dispersion relation can be dubbed as the consequences of various frameworks of quantum gravity, it could be applicable to these frameworks. Finally, one can expect the framework of quantum gravity will lead to the fruitful evolution of complexity, which guides us in distinguishing various inflationary models.

We derive the general formulae for the scalar and tensor spectral tilts to the second order for the inflationary models with non-minimally derivative coupling without taking the high friction limit. The non-minimally kinetic coupling to Einstein tensor brings the energy scale in the inflationary models down to be sub-Planckian. In the high friction limit, the Lyth bound is modified with an extra suppression factor, so that the field excursion of the inflaton is sub-Planckian. The inflationary models with non-minimally derivative coupling are more consistent with observations in the high friction limit. In particular, with the help of the non-minimally derivative coupling, the quartic power law potential is consistent with the observational constraint at 95% CL.

Brane inflationary universe model in the context of intermediate inflation is studied. General conditions for this model to be realizable are discussed. In the high-energy limit we describe in great details the characteristic of this model.

This is a short review of string cosmology. We wish to connect string-scale physics as closely as possible to observables accessible to current or near-future experiments. Our possible best hope to do so is a description of inflation in string theory. The energy scale of inflation can be as high as that of Grand Unification (GUT). If this is the case, this is the closest we can possibly get in energy scales to string-scale physics. Hence, GUT-scale inflation may be our best candidate phenomenon to preserve traces of string-scale dynamics. Our chance to look for such traces is the primordial gravitational wave, or tensor mode signal produced during inflation. For GUT-scale inflation this is strong enough to be potentially visible as a B-mode polarization of the cosmic microwave background (CMB). Moreover, a GUT-scale inflation model has a trans-Planckian excursion of the inflaton scalar field during the observable amount of inflation. Such large-field models of inflation have a clear need for symmetry protection against quantum corrections. This makes them ideal candidates for a description in a candidate fundamental theory like string theory. At the same time the need of large-field inflation models for UV completion makes them particularly susceptible to preserve imprints of their string-scale dynamics in the inflationary observables, the spectral index ns and the fractional tensor mode power r. Hence, we will focus this review on axion monodromy inflation as a mechanism of large-field inflation in string theory.

The Standard Model Lagrangian has an approximate scale symmetry in the high-energy limit. This observation can be included in the fundamental principle of the ultimate theory of Nature as the requirement of the exact quantum scale invariance. In this setup, all low-energy particle phenomenology can be obtained as a result of the spontaneous breaking of scale symmetry leading to the presence of the extra massless scalar field -- the dilaton. We explore the scenario in which this field is capable of solving the strong CP-problem in QCD in a similar way as in QCD axion models. The dilaton, playing the role of the axion, is coupled to the QCD sector and acquires a mass term due to non-perturbative breaking of scale symmetry. We show that the dilaton can form dark matter after the low-scale inflation. As a proof of concept, we construct a model of Higgs-driven inflation consistently realising the axion-like dilaton dark matter production compatible with the CMB data.

String field theory motivated infinite-derivative models lead to non-local gravity modifications which form a promising class of quantum gravity candidates. In this paper we investigate effects of non-locality on the three-point function (the bi-spectrum) during cosmic inflation. The study is done in an Einstein frame with an infinite-derivative scalar field Lagrangian minimally coupled to the Einstein-Hilbert term. A non-local generalization of the Mukhanov-Sasaki equation is derived. Infinite-derivative operators present in this equation lead to an appearance of infinitely many new background induced states in the perturbation spectrum during inflation with complex masses on top of a usual nearly massless inflaton. On contrary to a flat background such states can be classically stable in a de Sitter space-time.We demonstrate explicitly that observational constraints on the scalar and tensor power-spectra are preserved.We proceed by studying a particular configuration assuming that the generalized Mukhanov-Sasaki equation gives rise to an inflaton and one pair of new states with complex conjugate masses as perturbative degrees of freedom. The corresponding scalar bi-spectrum is computed numerically in squeezed and equilateral limits. We use the latest observational constraints on amplitude of the bi-spectrum fNL from Planck 2018 dataset as a guideline for possible values of masses of new emerging states. We find that fNL is non-trivially sensitive to the values of complex masses and this can reduce the parameter space of gravity modifications. In particular we find that the amplitude of the squeezed limit gets easily enhanced while of the equilateral limit can stay like in a local single-field model of inflation. We end up discussing open questions relevant for this class of models of inflation.

We study constant roll inflation systematically. This is a regime, in which the slow roll approximation can be violated. It has long been thought that this approximation is necessary for agreement with observations. However, recently it was understood that there can be inflationary models with a constant, and not necessarily small, rate of roll that are both stable and compatible with the observational constraint ns ≈ 1. We investigate systematically the condition for such a constant-roll regime. In the process, we find a whole new class of inflationary models, in addition to the known solutions. We show that the new models are stable under scalar perturbations. Finally, we find a part of their parameter space, in which they produce a nearly scale-invariant scalar power spectrum, as needed for observational viability.

In isotropic loop quantum cosmology, non-perturbatively modified dynamics of a minimally coupled scalar field violates weak, strong and dominant energy conditions when they are stated in terms of the equation-of-state parameter. The violation of the strong energy condition helps to have non-singular evolution by evading singularity theorems thus leading to a generic inflationary phase. However, the violation of weak and dominant energy conditions raises concern, as in general relativity these conditions ensure causality of the system and stability of vacuum via the Hawking–Ellis conservation theorem. It is shown here that the non-perturbatively modified kinetic term contributes negative pressure but positive energy density. This crucial feature leads to the violation of energy conditions but ensures the positivity of energy density, as the scalar matter Hamiltonian remains bounded from below. It is also shown that the modified dynamics restricts group velocity for inhomogeneous modes to remain sub-luminal thus ensuring causal propagation across spatial distances.

We constrain spatially flat tilted and nonflat untilted scalar field (ϕ) dynamical dark energy inflation (ϕCDM) models by using Planck 2015 cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropy measurements and recent baryonic acoustic oscillation distance observations, Type Ia supernovae apparent magnitude data, Hubble parameter measurements, and growth rate data. We assume an inverse power-law scalar field potential energy density . We find that the combination of the CMB data with the four non-CMB data sets significantly improves parameter constraints and strengthens the evidence for nonflatness in the nonflat untilted ϕCDM case from 1.8σ for the CMB measurements only to more than 3.1σ for the combined data. In the nonflat untilted ϕCDM model, current observations favor a spatially closed universe with spatial curvature contributing about two-thirds of a percent of the present cosmological energy budget. The flat tilted ϕCDM model is a 0.4σ better fit to the data than is the standard flat tilted ΛCDM model: current data allow for the possibility that dark energy is dynamical. The nonflat tilted ϕCDM model is in better accord with the Dark Energy Survey bounds on the rms amplitude of mass fluctuations now (σ 8) as a function of the nonrelativistic matter density parameter now (Ω m ) but it does not provide as good a fit to the larger-multipole Planck 2015 CMB anisotropy data as does the standard flat tilted ΛCDM model. A few cosmological parameter value measurements differ significantly when determined using the tilted flat and the untilted nonflat ϕCDM models, including the cold dark matter density parameter and the reionization optical depth.

We study the primordial gravitational wave background produced in models of single field inflation. Using the inflationary flow approach, we investigate the amplitude of gravitational wave spectrum in the frequency range 1 mHz - 1 Hz pertinent to future space-based laser interferometers. For models that satisfy the current observational constraint on the tensor-to-scalar ratio, r<0.36, we derive a strict upper bound of omega_{gw}<1.6 x 10^{-15}, independent of the form of the inflationary potential. Applying, in addition, the observational constraints on the spectral index and its running, omega_{gw} is expected to be considerably lower than this bound unless the shape of the potential is finely tuned. We contrast our numerical results with those based on simple power-law extrapolation of the tensor power spectrum from CMB scales. In addition to single field inflation, we summarise a number of other possible cosmological sources of primordial gravitational waves and assess what might be learnt from direct detection experiments such as LISA, Big Bang Observer and beyond.

After the end of inflation, the inflaton field oscillates around a local minimum of its potential and decays into ordinary matter. These oscillations trigger a resonant instability for cosmological perturbations with wavelengths that exit the Hubble radius close to the end of inflation. In this paper, we study the formation of Primordial Black Holes (PBHs) at these enhanced scales. We find that the production mechanism can be so efficient that PBHs subsequently dominate the content of the universe and reheating proceeds from their evaporation. Observational constraints on the PBH abundance also restrict the duration of the resonant instability phase, leading to tight limits on the reheating temperature that we derive. We conclude that the production of PBHs during reheating is a generic and inevitable property of the simplest inflationary single-field models, and does not require any fine tuning of the inflationary potential.

We consider the possibility of enhancing the inflationary tensor mode by\nintroducing a spectator scalar field with a small sound speed which induces\ngravitational waves as a second order effect. We analytically obtain the power\nspectra of gravitational waves and curvature perturbation induced by the\nspectator scalar field. We found that the small sound speed amplifies the\ncurvature perturbation much more than the tensor mode and the current\nobservational constraint forces the induced gravitational waves to be\nnegligible compared with those from the vacuum fluctuation during inflation.\n