We derive slow-roll conditions for a scalar field which is non-minimally coupled with gravity in a consistent manner and express spectral indices of scalar/tensor perturbations in terms of the slow-roll parameters. The conformal invariance of the curvature perturbation is proved without linear approximations. Rapid-roll conditions are also derived, and the relation with the slow-roll conditions is discussed.
As an extension of our previous study, we derive slow-roll conditions for multiple scalar fields which are non-minimally coupled with gravity and for generalized gravity theories of the form $f(ϕ,R)$. We provide simple formulae of the spectral indices of scalar/tensor perturbations in terms of the slow-roll parameters.
Quantum fast-roll initial conditions for the inflaton which are different from the classical fast-roll conditions and from the quantum slow-roll conditions can lead to inflation that last long enough. These quantum fast-roll initial conditions for the inflaton allow for kinetic energies of the same order of the potential energies and nonperturbative inflaton modes with nonzero wavenumbers. Their evolution starts with a transitory epoch where the redshift due to the expansion succeeds to assemble the quantum excited modes of the inflaton in a homogeneous (zero mode) condensate, and the large va…
Using a recently introduced formalism we discuss slow-roll inflaton from Kaluza-Klein theory without the cylinder condition. In particular, some examples corresponding to polynomic and hyperbolic $ϕ$-potentials are studied. We find that the evolution of the fifth coordinate should be determinant for both, the evolution of the early inflationary universe and the quantum fluctuations.
We study the WKB approximation beyond leading order for cosmological perturbations during inflation. To first order in the slow-roll parameters, we show that an improved WKB approximation leads to analytical results agreeing to within 0.1% with the standard slow-roll results. Moreover, the leading WKB approximation to second order in the slow-roll parameters leads to analytical predictions in qualitative agreement with those obtained by the Green's function method.
We analyze the weak (2 sigma) evidence for a running spectral index seen in the three-year WMAP dataset and its implications for single field, slow roll inflation. We assume that the running is comparable to the central value found from the WMAP data analysis, and use the Hubble Slow Roll formalism to follow the evolution of the slow roll parameters. For all parameter choices consistent with a large, negative running, single field, slow roll inflation lasts less than 30 efolds after CMB scales leave the horizon. Thus, a definitive observation of a large negative running would imply that any in…
We not only reconstruct the slow-roll parameters for fit to the running spectral index from WMAP three-year data in the usual slow-roll inflation model and noncommutative inflation model, but also investigate the evolution of these slow-roll parameters. Requiring slow-roll inflation lasts more than 20 e-folds after CMB scales leave the horizon suggests that the potential at the last stage of inflation takes the form $V(ϕ)=V_0(1+{η_c\over 2}{(ϕ-ϕ_c)^2\over M_p^2})$, where $η_c$ is a constant. A natural mechanism to end inflation at $ϕ=ϕ_c$ is hybrid type inflation.
Using the nonlinear $δN$ formalism, we consider a simple exactly soluble model of multi-component slow-roll inflation in which the nonlinear curvature perturbation can be evaluated analytically.
We quantify the slow-roll corrections to primordial density perturbations arising from inflation driven by a four-dimensional scalar field with a monomial potential in a five-dimensional non-compact bulk spacetime. Although the difference between the classical brane-world solutions and standard four-dimensional solutions is large at early times, the change to the amplitude at late times of perturbations generated from quantum fluctuations is first-order in slow-roll parameters, leading to second-order slow-roll corrections to the spectral index. This confirms that the leading-order effects are…
Aspects of non-linear Schrödinger-type (NLS) formulation of scalar (phantom) field cosmology on slow-roll, acceleration, WKB approximation and Big Rip singularity are presented. Slow-roll parameters for the curvature and barotropic density terms are introduced. We reexpress all slow-roll parameters, slow-roll conditions and acceleration condition in NLS form. WKB approximation in the NLS formulation is also discussed when simplifying to linear case. Most of the Schrödinger potentials in NLS formulation are very slowly-varying, hence WKB approximation is valid in the ranges. In the NLS form of …
We derive the power spectrum P_ψ(k) of the gravitational waves produced during general classes of inflation with second order corrections. Using this result, we also derive the spectrum and the spectral index in the standard slow-roll approximation with new higher order corrections.
We extend the WKB method for the computation of cosmological perturbations during inflation beyond leading order and provide the power spectra of scalar and tensor perturbations to second order in the slow-roll parameters. Our method does not require that the slow-roll parameters be constant. Although leading and next-to-leading results in the slow-roll parameters depend on the approximation technique used in the computation, we find that the inflationary theoretical predictions obtained may reach the accuracy required by planned observations. In two technical appendices, we compare our techni…
Precise cosmological data from WMAP and forthcoming CMB experiments motivate the study of the quantum corrections to the slowroll inflationary parameters.We find the quantum (loop) corrections to the equations of motion of the classical inflaton, its quantum fluctuations and the Friedmann equation in general single field slow roll inflation.We implement a renormalized effective field theory EFT approach based on an expansion in (H/M_{Pl})^2 and slow roll parameters epsilon_V,eta_V,sigma_V, xi_V.We find that the leading order quantum corrections to the inflaton effective potential and its equat…
Evaluating the mode function at horizon crossing, we obtained an incorrect expression for the spectral index for a rapidly decaying mode. See the recent paper astro-ph/0701432 for details.
We derive general analytic formulae for the power spectrum and spectral index of the curvature perturbation produced during inflation driven by a multi-component inflaton field, up to the second order in the slow-roll approximation. We do not assume any specific properties of the potential or the metric on the scalar field space, except for the slow-roll condition, Einstein gravity, and the absence of any permanent isocurvature modes.
In this paper we quantise scalar perturbations in a Randall-Sundrum-type model of inflation where the inflaton field is confined to a single brane embedded in five-dimensional anti-de Sitter space-time. In the high energy regime, small-scale inflaton fluctuations are strongly coupled to metric perturbations in the bulk and gravitational back-reaction has a dramatic effect on the behaviour of inflaton perturbations on sub-horizon scales. This is in contrast to the standard four-dimensional result where gravitational back-reaction can be neglected on small scales. Nevertheless, this does not giv…
We investigate the accuracy of slow-roll inflation in light of current observational constraints, which do not allow for a large deviation from scale invariance. We investigate the applicability of the first and second order slow-roll approximations for inflationary models, including those with large running of the scalar spectral index. We compare the full numerical solutions with those given by the first and second order slow-roll formulae. We find that even first order slow-roll is generally accurate; the largest deviations arise in models with large running where the error in the power spe…
The slow-roll approximation to inflation is ultimately justified by the presence of inflationary attractors for the orbits of the solutions of the dynamical equations in phase space. There are many indications that the inflaton field couples nonminimally to the spacetime curvature: the existence of attractor points for inflation with nonminimal coupling is demonstrated, subject to a condition on the inflaton potential and the value of the coupling constant.
We present a general slow-roll formalism within braneworld-motivated cosmologies with non-standard effective Friedmann equations. Full towers of parameters involving either the inflaton potential or the Hubble parameter are constructed and the dynamics of non-tachyonic and tachyonic fields are considered in detail; exact cosmological solutions and the inflationary attractor condition are provided. We compare scalar-driven and tachyon-driven accelerating eras through slow-roll correspondence and the observational imprint on early-universe structures.
The scenario of brane inflation without using the conventional slow-roll approximations has been investigated. Based on the mechanism of generating the curvature perturbations at the end of inflation, a new brane inflation paradigm was developed. The conditions for making a sufficiently large enough number of e-foldings and for generating the curvature perturbations without producing dangerous relics were also examined. Benefits of our scenario are subsequently discussed in detail.
I generalize the inflationary flow equations of Hoffman and Turner to arbitrary order in slow roll. This makes it possible to study the predictions of slow roll inflation in the full observable parameter space of tensor/scalar ratio $r$, spectral index $n$, and running $d n / d \ln k$. It also becomes possible to identify exact fixed points in the parameter flow. I numerically evaluate the flow equations to fifth order in slow roll for a set of randomly chosen initial conditions and find that the models cluster strongly in the observable parameter space, indicating a ``generic'' set of predict…
The spectral index is studied at the point where scalar fields deviate from slow-roll during inflation. Considering the deviation that may cause a significant difference to the time derivative of the Hubble parameter and also to the terms in the evolution equation, we show how the deviation affects the spectral index of the curvature perturbations. Considering conventional inflation, curvatons and other inhomogeneous scenarios as mechanisms for generating the cosmological perturbation, we examine whether the spectral index induced by the deviation from the standard slow-roll can explain the sp…
We extend Green's function method developed by Stewart and Gong to calculate the power spectrum of density perturbation in the case with a time-dependent sound speed, and explicitly give the power spectrum and spectral index up to second-order corrections in the slow-roll expansion. The case of tachyon inflation is included as a special case.
There are many inflationary models in which inflaton field does not satisfy the slow-roll condition. However, in such models, it is always difficult to generate the curvature perturbation during inflation. Thus, to generate the curvature perturbation, one must introduce another component to the theory. To cite a case, curvatons may generate dominant part of the curvature perturbation after inflation. However, we have a question whether it is unrealistic to consider the generation of the curvature perturbation during inflation without slow-roll. Assuming multi-field inflation, we encounter the …
Inflationary predictions for the anisotropy of the cosmic microwave background radiation (CMBR) are often based on the slow-roll approximation. We study the precision with which the multipole moments of the temperature two-point correlation function can be predicted by means of the slow-roll approximation. We ask whether this precision is good enough for the forthcoming high precision observations by means of the MAP and Planck satellites. The error in the multipole moments due to the slow-roll approximation is demonstrated to be bigger than the error in the power spectrum. For power-law infla…
We study the level of primordial non-Gaussianity in slow-roll two-field inflation. Using an analytic formula for the nonlinear parameter f_nl in the case of a sum or product separable potential, we find that it is possible to generate significant non-Gaussianity even during slow-roll inflation with Gaussian perturbations at Hubble exit. In this paper we give the general conditions to obtain large non-Gaussianity and calculate the level of fine-tuning required to obtain this. We present explicit models in which the non-Gaussianity at the end of inflation can exceed the current observational bou…
Inflation predicts the generation of cosmological perturbations. Usually, the power spectra for the scalar and tensor modes are calculated with help of the slow roll approximation. In the case of power law inflation an exact result is available. We compare the predictions for the cosmic microwave background anisotropies from the slow roll approximation with the exact results from power law inflation. We find that the so-called consistency check from the slow roll approximation, $C_2^T/C_2^S \approx -6.93 n_T$, may differ considerably from the exact result.
We study how the noncommutative spacetime affects on inflation. First we obtain the noncommutative power spectrum of the curvature perturbations produced during inflation in the slow-roll approximation. This is the explicit $k$-dependent power spectrum up to first order in slow-roll parameters $ε_1 δ_1$ including the noncommutative parameter $μ$. In order to test the role of $μ$ further, we calculate the noncommutative power spectrum using the slow-roll expansion. We find corrections which arise from the change of pivot scale and a noncommutative parameter with $μ\not=$ constant. It turns out …
We study the slow-roll regime of two field inflation, in which the two fields are also coupled through their kinetic terms. Such Lagrangians are motivated by particle physics and by scalar-tensor theories studied in the Einstein frame. We compute the power spectra of adiabatic and isocurvature perturbations on large scales to first order in the slow-roll parameters. We discuss the relevance of the extra coupling terms for the amplitude and indexes of the power spectra. Beyond the consistency condition which involves the amplitude of gravitational waves, additional relations may be found in par…
Improved general slow-roll formulae giving the primordial gravitational wave spectrum are derived in the present work. Also the first and second order general slow-roll inverse formulae giving the Hubble parameter $H$ in terms of the gravitational wave spectrum are derived. Moreover, the general slow-roll consistency condition relating the scalar and tensor spectra is obtained.
Recent combined results from the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) and Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) provide a remarkable set of data which requires more accurate and general investigation. Here we derive formulae for the power spectrum P(k) of the density perturbations produced during inflation in the general slow-roll approximation with second order corrections. Also, using the result, we derive the power spectrum in the standard slow-roll picture with previously unknown third order corrections.
In this paper we investigate how the energy density due to a non-standard choice of initial vacuum affects the expansion of the universe during inflation. To do this we introduce source terms in the Friedmann equations making sure that we respect the relation between gravity and thermodynamics. We find that the energy production automatically implies a slow rolling cosmological constant. Hence we also conclude that there is no well defined value for the cosmological constant in the presence of sources. We speculate that a non-standard vacuum can provide slow roll inflation on its own.
We calculate the power spectra of primordial curvature and isocurvature perturbations from a general two field inflation model at next-to-leading order correction in a slow-roll expansion. In particular we calculate the spectral indices to second order in slow-roll parameters. We show that the cross-correlation of the curvature and isocurvature perturbations at the time of Hubble-exit during inflation is non-zero at first-order in slow-roll parameters. We apply our results to different classes of inflation, including inflaton and curvaton scenarios. The spectrum of primordial gravitational wav…
The standard calculation of the spectrum of density perturbations produced during inflation assumes (i) |n-1| << 1 and (ii) |dn/dlnk| << |n-1|. Slow-roll predicts and observations require (i), but neither slow-roll nor observations require (ii). In this paper I derive formulae for the spectrum, spectral index, and running of the spectral index, assuming only (i) and not (ii). I give a large class of observationally viable examples in which these general slow-roll formulae are accurate but the standard slow-roll formulae for the spectral index and running are incorrect.
I describe a general approach to characterizing cosmological inflation outside the standard slow-roll approximation, based on the Hamilton-Jacobi formulation of scalar field dynamics. The basic idea is to view the equation of state of the scalar field matter as the fundamental dynamical variable, as opposed to the field value or the expansion rate. I discuss how to formulate the equations of motion for scalar and tensor fluctuations in situations where the assumption of slow roll is not valid. I apply the general results to the simple case of inflation from an ``inverted'' polynomial potential…
We invert the second order, single field, general slow-roll formula for the power spectrum, to obtain a second order formula for inflationary parameters in terms of the primordial power spectrum.
Recent observations suggest that the spectral index of the primordial perturbations is very close to unity, as expected in models of slow roll inflation. It is still possible for such models to produce spectra which are scale dependent. We present a formula for the spectrum produced by an arbitrary inflaton potential (within the context of slow roll models); this formula explicitly illustrates and accounts for the possiblity of scale dependence. A class of examples are studied and comparisons made with the standard slow roll formula.
We comment on the choice of the quintessence potential, examining the slow-roll approximation in a minimally coupled theory of gravity. We make some considerations on the potential behaviors, the related γparameter, and their relationships to phantom cosmology.
We examine the dynamics of inflation driven by multiple, interacting scalar fields and derive a multi field version of the Hubble slow roll expansion. We show that the properties of this expansion naturally generalize those of the single field case. We present an analogous hierarchy of slow roll parameters, and derive the system of ``flow'' equations that describes their evolution, and show that when this system is truncated at finite order, it can always be solved exactly. Lastly, we express the scalar and tensor perturbation spectra in terms of the slow roll parameters.
In this paper we analyze scalar gravitational perturbations on a Robertson-Walker background in the presence of multiple scalar fields that take values on a (geometrically non-trivial) field manifold during slow-roll inflation. For this purpose modified and generalized slow-roll functions are introduced and their properties examined. These functions make it possible to estimate to what extent the gravitational potential decouples from the scalar field perturbations. The correlation function of the gravitational potential is calculated in an arbitrary state. We argue that using the vacuum state…
Through a principal component analysis, we study how accurately CMB observables can constrain inflaton potentials in a model independent manner. We apply the general slow-roll approximation in our analysis where we allow, in contrast to the standard slow-roll approximation, the possibility of variations in $V''(ϕ)$ and take into account the fact that horizon crossing is not an instantaneous event. Our analysis provides a set of modes to be used in fitting observables. We find that of order five of these modes will be constrained by future observations, so a fully general data analysis package …
We draw attention to the possibility that inflation (i.e. accelerated expansion) might continue after the end of slow roll, during a period of fast oscillations of the inflaton field ϕ. This phenomenon takes place when a mild non-convexity inequality is satisfied by the potential V(ϕ). The presence of such a period of ϕ-oscillation-driven inflation can substantially modify reheating scenarios. In some models the effect of these fast oscillations might be imprinted on the primordial perturbation spectrum at cosmological scales.
We calculate the scalar gravitational and matter perturbations in the context of slow-roll inflation with multiple scalar fields, that take values on a (curved) manifold, to first order in slow roll. For that purpose a basis for these perturbations determined by the background dynamics is introduced and multiple-field slow-roll functions are defined. To obtain analytic solutions to first order, the scalar perturbation modes have to be treated in three different regimes. Matching is performed by analytically identifying leading order asymptotic expansions in different regions. Possible sources …
A description of the transition from the inflationary epoch to radiation domination requires the understanding of quantum fields out of thermal equilibrium, particle creation and thermalisation. This can be studied from first principles by solving a set of truncated real-time Schwinger-Dyson equations, written in terms of the mean field (inflaton) and the field propagators, derived from the two-particle irreducible effective action. We investigate some aspects of this problem by considering the dynamics of a slow-rolling mean field coupled to a second quantum field, using a ϕ^2χ^2 interaction.…
We describe a method of obtaining the inflationary potential from observations which does not use the slow-roll approximation. Rather, the microwave anisotropy spectrum is obtained directly from a parametrized potential numerically, with no approximation beyond linear perturbation theory. This permits unbiased estimation of the parameters describing the potential, as well as providing the full error covariance matrix. We illustrate the typical uncertainties obtained using the Fisher information matrix technique, studying the $λϕ^4$ potential in detail as a concrete example.
We analyze the non-Gaussianity for primordial curvature perturbations generated in multi-scalar slow-roll inflation model including the model with non-separable potential by making use of $δN$ formalism. Many authors have investigated the possibility of large non-Gaussianity for the models with separable potential, and they have found that the non-linear parameter, $f_{NL}$, is suppressed by the slow-roll parameters. We show that for the non-separable models $f_{NL}$ is given by the product of a factor which is suppressed by the slow-roll parameters and a possible enhancement factor which is g…
We set up a formalism that can be used to calculate the power spectrum of the curvature perturbations produced during inflation up to arbitrary order in the slow-roll expansion, and explicitly calculate the power spectrum and spectral index up to second-order corrections.
The meaning of the inflationary slow-roll approximation is formalised. Comparisons are made between an approach based on the Hamilton-Jacobi equations, governing the evolution of the Hubble parameter, and the usual scenario based on the evolution of the potential energy density. The vital role of the inflationary attractor solution is emphasised, and some of its properties described. We propose a new measure of inflation, based upon contraction of the comoving Hubble length as opposed to the usual e-foldings of physical expansion, and derive relevant formulae. We introduce an infinite hierarch…
We formalize the Hubble slow-roll formalism for inflationary dynamics in Randall-Sundrum Type II braneworld cosmologies, defining Hubble slow-roll parameters which can be used along with the Hamilton-Jacobi formalism. Focussing on the high-energy limit, we use these to calculate the exact power spectrum for power-law inflation, and then perturb around this solution to derive the higher-order expression for the density perturbations (sometimes called the Stewart-Lyth correction) of slow-roll braneworld models. Finally we apply our result to specific examples of potentials to calculate the corre…
We propose a general inverse formula for extracting inflationary parameters from the observed power spectrum of cosmological perturbations. Under the general slow-roll scheme, which helps to probe the properties of inflation in a model independent way, we invert the leading order, single field, power spectrum formula. We also give some physically interesting examples to demonstrate its wide applicability and illuminate its properties.
We derive the power spectrum $\mathcal P(k)$ of the density perturbations produced during inflation up to second-order corrections in the standard slow-roll approximation for an inflaton with more than one degree of freedom. We also present the spectral index $n$ up to first-order corrections including previously missing terms, and the running ${dn}/{d\ln k}$ to leading order.
We constrain slow-roll inflationary models using the recent WMAP data combined with data from the VSA, CBI, ACBAR and 2dF experiments. We find the slow-roll parameters to be $0 < ε_1 < 0.032$ and $ε_2 + 5.0 ε_1 = 0.036 \pm 0.025$. For inflation models $V \propto ϕ^α$ we find that $α< 3.9, 4.3$ at the 2$σ$ and $3σ$ levels, indicating that the $λϕ^4$ model is under very strong pressure from observations. We define a convergence criterion to judge the necessity of introducing further power spectrum parameters such as the spectral index and running of the spectral index. This criterion is typicall…
We investigate the accuracy of the slow-roll approximation for calculating perturbation spectra generated during inflation. The Hamilton-Jacobi formalism is used to evolve inflationary models with different histories. Models are identified for which the scalar power spectra computed using the Stewart-Lyth slow-roll approximation differ from exact numerical calculations using the Mukhanov perturbation equation. We then revisit the problem of primordial black holes generated by inflation. Hybrid-type inflationary models, in which the inflaton is trapped in the minimum of a potential, can produce…
