Relic cosmological vector fields and inflationary gravitational waves

Journal Article · 16 September 2021 · Physical Review. D.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevd.104.063531 · OSTI ID:1851370

Tishue, Avery J.  ^[1]; Caldwell, Robert R.  ^[2]

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1. Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH (United States); OSTI
2. Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH (United States)

Here we show that relic vector fields can significantly impact a spectrum of primordial gravitational waves in the postinflationary era. We consider a triplet of U(1) fields in a homogeneous, isotropic configuration. The interaction between the gravitational waves and the vector fields, from the end of reheating to the present day, yields novel spectral features. The amplitude, tilt, shape, and net chirality of the gravitational wave spectrum are shown to depend on the abundance of the electric- and magneticlike vector fields. Our results show that even a modest abundance can have strong implications for efforts to detect the imprint of gravitational waves on the cosmic microwave background polarization. We find that a vector field comprising less than 2% of the energy density during the radiation-dominated era can have a greater than order unity effect on the predicted inflationary gravitational wave spectrum.

• Research Organization: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC)
• Grant/Contract Number: SC0010386
• OSTI ID: 1851370
• Journal Information: Physical Review. D., Journal Name: Physical Review. D. Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 104; ISSN 2470-0010
• Publisher: American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English