Can CMB data constrain the inflationary field range?
- Instituto de Física Teórica IFT-UAM-CSIC, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, C/ Nicolás Cabrera 13-15, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid (Spain)
- Centre for Theoretical Physics, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen (Netherlands)
We study to what extent the spectral index n{sub s} and the tensor-to-scalar ratio r determine the field excursion Δφ during inflation. We analyse the possible degeneracy of Δ φ by comparing three broad classes of inflationary models, with different dependence on the number of e-foldings N, to benchmark models of chaotic inflation with monomial potentials. The classes discussed cover a large set of inflationary single field models. We find that the field range is not uniquely determined for any value of (n{sub s}, r); one can have the same predictions as chaotic inflation and a very different Δ φ. Intriguingly, we find that the field range cannot exceed an upper bound that appears in different classes of models. Finally, Δ φ can even become sub-Planckian, but this requires to go beyond the single-field slow-roll paradigm.
- OSTI ID:
- 22375901
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, Vol. 2014, Issue 09; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1475-7516
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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