In this paper we study the implications of the generalized Higuchi bound on massive spin-two fields for the derivative of the scalar potential within bimetric theory. In contrast to the recent de Sitter swampland conjecture, an upper bound on the derivate of the scalar potential follows from the generalized Higuchi bound. In combination, this leaves a window for the derivate of the scalar potential. We discuss this bound in several representative bimetric models and parameter regions.
In this paper, we study a constant-roll inflationary model in the presence of a noncommutative parameter with a homogeneous scalar field minimally coupled to gravity. The specific noncommutative inflation conditions proposed new consequences. On the other hand, we use anisotropic conditions and find new anisotropic constant-roll solutions with respect to noncommutative parameter. Also, we will plot some figures with respect to the specific values of the corresponding parameter and the swampland criteria which is raised from the exact potential obtained from the constant-roll condition. Finally…
We discuss under which conditions multi-field cold and warm inflationary models with canonical kinetic energy terms are compatible with the swampland conjectures about the emergence of de Sitter solutions in string theory. We find that under quite general conditions the slow-roll conditions for multi-field cold inflation are at odds with the swampland conjectures for an arbitrary number of scalar fields driving inflation. However, slow-roll conditions can be reconciled with the swampland conjectures in the strong dissipative regime of warm inflation.
We study the implications on inflation of an infinite tower of higher-spin states with masses falling exponentially at large field distances, as dictated by the Swampland Distance Conjecture. We show that the Higuchi lower bound on the mass of the tower automatically translates into an upper bound on the inflaton excursion. Strikingly, the mere existence of all spins in the tower forbids any scalar displacement whatsoever, at arbitrarily small Hubble scales, and it turns out therefore incompatible with inflation. A certain field excursion is allowed only if the tower has a cut-off in spin. Fin…
We examine the Swampland conjectures in the context of generic slow-roll thawing quintessence models. Defining $λ\equiv |V^{\prime}(ϕ_i)/V(ϕ_i)|$ and $K \equiv \sqrt{1 - 4V^{\prime \prime}(ϕ_i)/3V(ϕ_i)}$, where $ϕ_i$ is the initial value of $ϕ$, we find regions of parameter space consistent with both observational data and with the refined de Sitter conjecture, and we show that all such models satisfy the distance conjecture. We quantify the degree of fine-tuning on $λ$ needed to achieve these results.
We revisit the Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet theory in view of the GW170817 event, which compels that the gravitational wave speed is equal to $c_T^2=1$ in natural units. We use an alternative approach compared to one previous work of ours, which enables us to express all the slow-roll indices and the observational indices as functions of the scalar field. Using our formalism we investigate if the Swampland criteria are satisfied for the Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet theory and as we demonstrate, the Swampland criteria are satisfied for quite general forms of the potential and the Gauss-Bonnet coupling functi…
Distance-Higuchi Bounds on Inflationary Field Ranges and Lifetimes
Lehman College, City University of New York（纽约市立大学莱曼学院）；Graduate Center, City University of New York（纽约市立大学研究生院）；American Museum of Natural History（美国自然历史博物馆）；Sorbonne Université, CNRS（索邦大学，法国国家科学研究中心）；Chulalongkorn University（朱拉隆功大学）；Princeton University（普林斯顿大学）
In this paper, we study the inflationary scenario in logarithmic f(R) gravity, where the rate of inflation roll is constant. On the other hand, our gravitational f(R) model is a polynomial plus a logarithmic term. We take advantage of constant-roll conditions and investigate the cosmic evolution of the logarithmic f(R) gravity. Therefore, we plot some figures such as the scalar spectrum index $n_{s}$ and tensor-to-scaler ratio $r$ concerning $n$, $β$ and model's constant parameters, i.e., $α$, $θ$ and $γ$ respectively. Also, we obtain the potential by using the constant roll condition. We know…
The recently introduced swampland criterion for de Sitter (arXiv:1806.08362) can be viewed as a (hierarchically large) bound on the smallness of the slow roll parameter $ε_V$. This leads us to consider the other slow roll parameter $η_V$ more closely, and we are lead to conjecture that the bound is not necessarily on $ε_V$, but on slow roll itself. A natural refinement of the de Sitter swampland conjecture is therefore that slow roll is violated at ${\cal O}(1)$ in Planck units in any UV complete theory. A corollary is that $ε_V$ need not necessarily be ${\cal O}(1)$, if $η_V \lesssim -{\cal O…
One class of single-field inflationary models compatible with the recently-conjectured Swampland criteria would be those in which a Hubble slow-roll parameter $ε_\text{H}$ is not the same as $ε_\text{V} \sim (V'/V)^2$. However, a roadblock for these models (with a convex potential) lie in the unacceptably high tensor-to-scalar ratio, $r$, generically predicted by them. In this work, illustrating through an explicit example, we point out that having a non-Bunch-Davies component to the initial state of cosmological perturbations makes the value of $r$ compatible with observations. In this way, w…
The methods of supergravity allow us to derive a multi-field F-term potential. Using this, we denote a generic and non-positive single-field F-term potential. We insert our theory into the scalar-gravity part of the $SU(2,1|1)$ invariant superconformal action. That action leads us to a de Sitter solution at the inflationary trajectory. One can denote stabilization of fields in terms of the Kähler kinetic terms and single-field slow-roll inflation parameters. We combine these with the de Sitter swampland conjecture to generate a bounded conjecture. This approach allowed us to show that the sing…
The reconstruction of a k-essence inflationary universe, considering the unification between the swampland criteria and the attractor given by the scalar spectral index $n_S(N)$ together with the slow roll parameter $ε(N)$in terms of the number of $e$-folds $N$ is studied. In the context of a coupling of the form $L(ϕ)\,X$ in the k-essence model, we find the effective potential $V$ and the coupling parameter $L$ in terms of the scalar spectral index and the slow roll parameter under a general formalism. To apply the unification in our model, we consider some examples in order to rebuild the ef…
Inflation is the currently accepted paradigm for the beginnings of the Universe. To explain the observed almost scale invariant spectrum of density perturbations with only a slight spectral tilt, inflation must have been "slow roll", that is with a potential with sufficiently small slope. While the origin of inflationary structure is intrinsically quantum mechanical, gravity gets treated semiclassically within inflationary models. Recent work, in terms of the so called de-Sitter swampland conjecture, has called into question whether slow roll inflation is consistent with a complete theory of q…
Warm Inflation seems to be the most befitting single-field slow-roll inflation scenario in the context of the recently proposed Swampland Criteria. We investigate the constraints these Swampland Criteria impose on Warm Inflation parameters and show that Warm Inflation is in accordance with both the current cosmological observations and the proposed Swampland Criteria in both weak and strong dissipative regimes depending on the value of the parameter $c$ which limits the slope of the inflaton potential according to the criteria.
We provide some comments about the constraints on the inflationary models inferred from the two Swampland criteria which have been recently proposed. In particular we argue that, in the absence of any knowledge about the origin of the adiabatic curvature perturbations, within the slow-roll single field models of inflation there is no tension between the swampland criteria and the current lower bound on the tensor-to-scalar ratio.
The Cohen-Kaplan-Nelson (CKN) bound formulates the condition that black hole is not produced by the low energy effective field theory dynamics. In de Sitter space it also constrains the maximal size of the matter distribution to be smaller than the cosmological horizon determined by black hole. On the other hand, the swampland distance conjecture (SDC) predicts that de Sitter space becomes unstable by the descent of the low energy degrees of freedom from UV. This results in the rapid increase in the energy inside the cosmological horizon, the distribution of which can be constrained by the CKN…
Motivated by the swampland dS conjecture, we consider a rolling scalar field as the source of dark energy. Furthermore, the swampland distance conjecture suggests that the rolling field will lead at late times to an exponentially light tower of states. Identifying this tower as residing in the dark sector suggests a natural coupling of the scalar field to the dark matter, leading to a continually reducing dark matter mass as the scalar field rolls in the recent cosmological epoch. The exponent in the distance conjecture, $\tilde{c}$, is expected to be an $\mathcal{O}(1)$ number. Interestingly,…
We propose a simple, well-motivated and robust alternative to a metastable de Sitter vacuum in string theory, consistent with current observations of dark energy and naturally satisfying conjectured swampland constraints. Inflation ends in a supersymmetric Minkowski minimum, with a flat direction that is protected by non-renormalisation theorems. At some scale non-perturbative effects kick in, inducing a runaway scalar potential. The tail of this runaway potential cannot sustain a late-time dominating, slow-roll quintessence. However, the potential always contains a dS maximum. If the modulus …
We interpret the de Sitter swampland conjecture in the thermodynamic point of view. When the number of degrees of freedom is enhanced as the modulus rolls down the potential, the bound on $m_{\rm Pl} \nabla V/V$ is equivalent to the condition for the positive temperature phase. The boundary between the positive- and the negative temperature phases is preferred by the classical system since the entropy density is maximized. The distance conjecture imposes that (quasi-)de Sitter spacetime is entirely in the negative temperature phase and statistically disfavored. By investigating the concave pot…
Recently researchers have been studying various conditions as swampland criteria in cosmological implications. They have studied many inflation models with different swampland conditions. Occasionally these conjectures are modified and lead to fascinating points. The swampland conjecture is in contradiction with the slow-roll single-field inflation model. So in this paper, we will briefly describe resolving this contradiction with the special method; we consider a small parameter λ with respect to a coupling function in inflation and resolve this important antithesis. Then we will discuss a ne…
We present a proposal to relate the de Sitter Conjecture (dSC) to the Covariant Entropy Bound (CEB). By assuming an early phase of accelerated expansion where the CEB is satisfied, we take into account a contribution from extra-dimensions to the four-dimensional entropy which restricts the values of the usual slow-roll parameters. We show in this context that the dSC inequalities follow from the CEB -- including their mutual exclusion -- in both single and multi-field inflationary scenarios. We also observe that the order one constants, c and c' in the conjecture are given in terms of physical…
The recently proposed Swampland Criteria aim to evade any (meta-)stable de Sitter constructions within String landscapes, making it difficult to accommodate accelerating phases, like dark energy domination and inflationary epoch, in cosmology. In this note, we analyse the status of various models of single field slow-roll inflation given the old as well as the refined Swampland conjectures, which constrain the form of scalar potentials in any low energy effective field theory residing in the landscapes. In particular, we note that Warm Inflation turns out to be the most befitting scenario as l…
We provide evidence that slow roll is not possible in any parametrically controlled regime of the moduli space of string theory. This is proven in full generality in the asymptotic limit of the moduli space of type II and heterotic Calabi-Yau compactifications for the dilaton and any number of Kähler moduli. Our results suggest that in order to build quintessence into string theory one must work in the interior of moduli space where numerical, even if not parametric, control could still be achieved.
We elaborate further on the compatibility of the "vacuumon potential" that characterises the inflationary phase of the Running Vacuum Model (RVM) with the Swampland criteria. The work is motivated by the fact that, as demonstrated recently by the authors [1-3], the RVM framework can be derived as an effective gravitational field theory stemming from underlying microscopic (critical) string theory models with gravitational anomalies, involving condensation of primordial gravitational waves. Although believed to be a classical scalar field description, not representing a fully fledged quantum fi…
The swampland conjectures seek to distinguish effective field theories which can be consistently embedded in a theory of quantum gravity from those which can not (and are hence referred to as being in the swampland). We consider two such conjectures, known as the Swampland Distance and de Sitter Conjectures, showing that taken together they place bounds on the amplitude of primordial gravitational waves generated during single field slow-roll inflation. The bounds depend on two parameters which for reasonable estimates restrict the tensor-to-scalar ratio to be within reach of future surveys.
We study the general embedding of a $ P(X, φ) $ inflationary theory into a two-field theory with curved field space metric, which was proposed as a possible way to examine the relation between de Sitter Swampland conjecture and \textit{k}-inflation. We show that this embedding method fits into the special type of two-field model in which the heavy field can be integrated out at the full action level. However, this embedding is not exact due to the upper bound of the effective mass of the heavy field. We quantify the deviation between the speed of sound calculated via the $ P(X, φ) $ theory and…
We study the de Sitter (dS) swampland conjecture in the Dirac-Born-Infeld (DBI) inflation model. We obtain the dS swampland bound for the relativistic regime using Bousso's entropy bound argument and proper distance. It restricts $m_{\rm Pl}\nabla V/V$ by some positive constant depending on warping and the field range. In the specific case of the DBI model driven by the quadratic potential, the model-dependent backreaction argument is interpreted as a natural bound for the slow-roll parameter. This shows that quasi-dS spacetime in the DBI model is a result of tuning.
We propose an alternative refined de Sitter conjecture. It is given by a natural condition on a combination of the first and second derivatives of the scalar potential. We derive our conjecture in the same weak coupling, semi-classical regime where the previous refined de Sitter conjecture was derived, using the same tools together with a few more assumptions that we discuss. We further test and constrain free parameters in our conjecture using data points of a classical type IIA supergravity setup. Interestingly, our conjecture easily accommodates slow-roll single field inflation with a conca…
A number of Swampland conjectures and in particular the Trans-Planckian Censorship Conjecture (TCC) suggest that de Sitter space is highly unstable if it exists at all. In this paper we construct effective theories of scalars rolling on potentials which are dual to a chain of short-lived dS spaces decaying from one to the next through a cascade of non-perturbative nucleation of bubbles. We find constraints on the effective potential resulting from various swampland criteria, including TCC, Weak Gravity Conjecture and Distance Conjecture. Surprisingly we find that TCC essentially incorporates a…
In negatively curved field spaces, inflation can be realised even in steep potentials. Hyperinflation invokes the `centrifugal force' of a field orbiting the hyperbolic plane to sustain inflation. We generalise hyperinflation by showing that it can be realised in models with any number of fields ($N_f\geq2$), and in broad classes of potentials that, in particular, don't need to be rotationally symmetric. For example, hyperinflation can follow a period of radial slow-roll inflation that undergoes geometric destabilisation, yet this inflationary phase is not identical to the recently proposed sc…
An important unsolved problem that affects practically all attempts to connect string theory to cosmology and phenomenology is how to distinguish effective field theories belonging to the string landscape from those that are not consistent with a quantum theory of gravity at high energies (the "string swampland"). It was recently proposed that potentials of the string landscape must satisfy at least two conditions, the "swampland criteria", that severely restrict the types of cosmological dynamics they can sustain. The first criterion states that the (multi-field) effective field theory descri…
The Swampland de Sitter conjecture in combination with upper limits on the tensor-to-scalar ratio $r$ derived from observations of the cosmic microwave background endangers the paradigm of slow-roll single field inflation. This conjecture constrains the first and the second derivatives of the inflationary potential in terms of two ${\cal O} (1)$ constants $c$ and $c'$. In view of these restrictions we reexamine single-field inflationary potentials with $S$-duality symmetry, which ameliorate the unlikeliness problem of the initial condition. We compute $r$ at next-to-leading order in slow-roll …
We discuss some implications of the recently suggested Swampland conjecture $\frac{|\nabla V|}{V}\gtrsim c\sim 1$, together with a previous one $Δϕ\lesssim 1$. We list some implications for particle phenomenology and the Early Universe. The most intriguing implication of the conjecture could be a significant shift in allowed inflationary models, if not ruling out slow-roll (single field) inflation altogether. The tension of inflation and the conjecture does not only regard the amplitude of the tensor spectrum, but also its tilt, as $c\gtrsim 1$ implies both a yet unobserved tensor to scalar ra…
Recently proposed Swampland Criteria (SC) and Trans-Planckian Censorship Conjecture (TCC) together put stringent theoretical constraints on slow roll inflation, raising a question on future prospects of detection of Primordial Gravitational Waves (PGW). As it appears, the only option to relax the constraints is by considering Non Bunch Davies (NBD) initial states, that in turn brings back the observational relevance of PGW via its 2-point function. In this article we develop consistent 3-point statistics with tensor modes for all possible correlators (auto and mixed) for NBD initial states in …
We consider a class of exponential models of $f(R)$ gravity, in the presence of a canonical scalar field, for which at early times the effective Lagrangian of the theory becomes that of a rescaled canonical scalar field with the Einstein-Hilbert term becoming $\sim αR$, with $α$ a dimensionless constant. This rescaled Einstein-Hilbert scalar field theory at early times alters the inflationary phenomenology of well-known scalar field models of inflation, but more importantly, in the context of this rescaled theory, the Swampland criteria are easily satisfied, assuming that the scalar field is s…
We present strong evidence that the tree level slow roll bounds of arXiv:1807.05193 and arXiv:1810.05506 are valid, even when the tachyon has overlap with the volume of the cycle wrapped by the orientifold. This extends our previous results in the volume-dilaton subspace to a semi-universal modulus. Emboldened by this and other observations, we investigate what it means to have a bound on (generalized) slow roll in a multi-field landscape. We argue that for $any$ point $ϕ_0$ in an $N$-dimensional field space with $V(ϕ_0) > 0$, there exists a path of monotonically decreasing potential energy to…
In this work we investigate the inflationary era in the presence of a canonical scalar field and Chern-Simons parity violating corrections. It was also assumed that a non minimal coupling between curvature and the scalar field is present. For the shake of completeness, the slow-roll and the constant-roll scenarios were examined separately. In the context of this scalar-tensor theory, inflation can be viable for both scenarios since the observational indices take acceptable values according to the most recent Planck data. Furthermore, the involvement of the Chern-Simons term has no effect on th…
Multi-field inflation with a curved scalar geometry has been found to support background trajectories that violate the slow-roll, slow-turn conditions and thus have the potential to evade the swampland constraints. In order to understand how generic this novel behaviour is and what conditions lead to it, we perform a classification of dynamical attractors of two-field inflation that are of the scaling type. Scaling solutions form a one-parameter generalization of De Sitter solutions with a constant value of the first Hubble flow parameter $ε$ and, as we argue and demonstrate, form a natural st…
There is increasing evidence from string theory that effective field theories are only reliable over approximately sub-Planckian field excursions. The two most promising effective models for early universe cosmology, inflation and ekpyrosis, are mechanisms that, in order to address cosmological puzzles, must operate over vast expansion/energy ranges. This suggests that it might be appropriate to describe them using scaling laws. Here we combine these two ideas and demonstrate that they drive inflation and ekpyrosis to their extremes: inflation must start at ultra-slow-roll, and ekpyrosis at ul…
