No Arabic abstract
We study the polynomial chaotic inflation model with a single scalar field in a double well quartic potential which has recently been shown to be consistent with Planck data. In particular, we study the effects of lifting the degeneracy between the two vacua on the inflationary observables, i.e. spectral index n_s and tensor-to-scalar perturbation ratio r_T. We find that removing the degeneracy allows the model to satisfy the upper limit constraints on r_T from Planck data, provided the field starts near the local maximum. We also calculate the scalar power spectrum and non-Gaussianity parameter f_NL for the primordial scalar perturbations in this model.
We present constraints on the tensor-to-scalar ratio r using Planck data. We use the latest release of Planck maps (PR4), processed with the NPIPE code, which produces calibrated frequency maps in temperature and polarization for all Planck channels from 30 GHz to 857 GHz using the same pipeline. We computed constraints on r using the BB angular power spectrum, and we also discuss constraints coming from the TT spectrum. Given Plancks noise level, the TT spectrum gives constraints on r that are cosmic-variance limited (with $sigma$(r)=0.093), but we show that the marginalized posterior peaks towards negative values of r at about the 1.2$sigma$ level. We derived Planck constraints using the BB power spectrum at both large angular scales (the reionization bump) and intermediate angular scales (the recombination bump) from $ell$=2 to 150, and find a stronger constraint than that from TT, with $sigma$(r)=0.069. The Planck BB spectrum shows no systematic bias, and is compatible with zero, given both the statistical noise and the systematic uncertainties. The likelihood analysis using B modes yields the constraint r<0.158 at 95% confidence using more than 50% of the sky. This upper limit tightens to r<0.069 when Planck EE, BB, and EB power spectra are combined consistently, and it tightens further to r<0.056 when the Planck TT power spectrum is included in the combination. Finally, combining Planck with BICEP2/Keck 2015 data yields an upper limit of r<0.044.
One of the main goals of modern cosmic microwave background (CMB) missions is to measure the tensor-to-scalar ratio $r$ accurately to constrain inflation models. Due to ignorance about the reionization history $X_{e}(z)$, this analysis is usually done by assuming an instantaneous reionization $X_{e}(z)$ which, however, can bias the best-fit value of $r$. Moreover, due to the strong mixing of B-mode and E-mode polarizations in cut-sky measurements, multiplying the sky coverage fraction $f_{sky}$ by the full-sky likelihood would not give satisfactory results. In this work, we forecast constraints on $r$ for the Planck mission taking into account the general reionization scenario and cut-sky effects. Our results show that by applying an N-point interpolation analysis to the reionization history, the bias induced by the assumption of instantaneous reionization is removed and the value of $r$ is constrained within $5%$ error level, if the true value of $r$ is greater than about 0.1 .
Tensor modes in the cosmic microwave background are one of the most robust signatures of inflation. We derive theoretical bounds on the tensor fraction, as a generalization of the well-known Lyth bound. Under reasonable assumptions, the new bounds are at least two orders of magnitude stronger than the original one. We comment on a previously derived generalization, the so-called Efstathiou-Mack relationship. We also derive a new absolute upper bound on tensors using de Sitter entropy bounds.
The scalar-tensor Dirac-Born-Infeld (DBI) inflation scenario provides a simple mechanism to reduce the large values of the boost factor associated with single field models with DBI action, whilst still being able to drive 60 efolds of inflation. Using a slow-roll approach, we obtain an analytical expression for the spectral index of the perturbations and, moreover, determine numerically the regions of the parameter space of the model capable of giving rise to a power spectrum with amplitude and spectral index within the observed bounds. We find that regions that exhibit significant DBI effects throughout the inflationary period can be discarded by virtue of a blue-tilted spectral index, however, there are a number of viable cases --- associated with a more red-tilted spectral index --- for which the boost factor is initially suppressed by the effect of the coupling between the fields, but increases later to moderate values.
In this paper the scalar-tensor theory of gravity is assumed to describe the evolution of the universe and the gravitational scalar $phi$ is ascribed to play the role of inflaton. The theory is characterized by the specified coupling function $omega(phi)$ and the cosmological function $lambda(phi)$. The function $lambda(phi)$ is nearly constant for $0<phi<0.1$ and $lambda(1)=0$. The functions $lambda(phi)$ and $omega(phi)$ provide a double-well potential for the motion of $phi(t)$. Inflation commences and ends naturally by the dynamics of the scalar field. The energy density of matter increases steadily during inflation. When the constant $Gamma$ in the action is determined by the present matter density, the temperature at the end of inflation is of the order of $10^{14} GeV$ in no need of reheating. Furthermore, the gravitational scalar is just the cold dark matter that men seek for.