Inhomogeneity and the onset of inflation

Journal Article · Mon Jun 11 04:00:00 EDT 1990 · Physical Review Letters; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.64.2852· OSTI ID:6746945

Goldwirth, D S; Piran, T ^[1]

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1. Racah Institute of Physics, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem 91904 (Israel)

We study numerically the onset of inflation under inhomogeneous initial conditions for various inflationary scenarios and various initial parameters. We solve the full Einstein equations for the gravitational field coupled to scalar-field and radiation-field sources, under the assumptions of spherical symmetry and a closed-universe background. We find that a large initial inhomogeneity suppresses the onset of inflation, and that the scalar field must have values suitable for inflation over a region of several horizon sizes for the inflationary phase to begin.

• OSTI ID: 6746945
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters; (USA), Journal Name: Physical Review Letters; (USA) Vol. 64:24; ISSN PRLTA; ISSN 0031-9007
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640106* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Cosmology
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
COSMOLOGICAL MODELS
EINSTEIN FIELD EQUATIONS
EQUATIONS
FIELD EQUATIONS
INFLATIONARY UNIVERSE
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
SCALAR FIELDS