Resurrecting quadratic inflation in no-scale supergravity in light of BICEP2

Journal Article · Thu May 01 04:00:00 EDT 2014 · Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/1475-7516/2014/05/037· OSTI ID:22373559

Ellis, John ^[1]; García, Marcos A.G.; Olive, Keith A. ^[2]

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1. Theoretical Particle Physics and Cosmology Group, Department of Physics, King's College London, London, WC2R 2LS (United Kingdom)
2. William I. Fine Theoretical Physics Institute, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota, 116 Church Street SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455 (United States)

The magnitude of primordial tensor perturbations reported by the BICEP2 experiment is consistent with simple models of chaotic inflation driven by a single scalar field with a power-law potential ∝ φ{sup n} : n ≅ 2, in contrast to the WMAP and Planck results, which favored models resembling the Starobinsky R+R{sup 2} model if running of the scalar spectral index could be neglected. While models of inflation with a quadratic potential may be constructed in simple N = 1 supergravity, these constructions are more challenging in no-scale supergravity. We discuss here how quadratic inflation can be accommodated within supergravity, focusing primarily on the no-scale case. We also argue that the quadratic inflaton may be identified with the supersymmetric partner of a singlet (right-handed) neutrino, whose subsequent decay could have generated the baryon asymmetry via leptogenesis.

• OSTI ID: 22373559
• Journal Information: Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics Journal Issue: 05 Vol. 2014; ISSN 1475-7516
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
ASYMMETRY
BARYONS
CHAOS THEORY
COSMOLOGICAL INFLATION
NEUTRINOS
PARTICLE PRODUCTION
PERTURBATION THEORY
POTENTIALS
SCALAR FIELDS
SUPERGRAVITY
SUPERSYMMETRY