What is Inflaton: Definition and 22 Discussions

The inflaton field is a hypothetical scalar field which is conjectured to have driven cosmic inflation in the very early universe.
The field, originally postulated by Alan Guth, provides a mechanism by which a period of rapid expansion from 10−35 to 10−34 seconds after the initial expansion can be generated, forming a universe consistent with observed spatial isotropy and homogeneity.

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  1. M

    A Observables when the symmetry is not broken?

    Hi, Let be a scalar field φ that permeates all space. The quantum of the field has a mass m. The field is at the minimum of its potential. When this minimum is for φ≠0 (a broken symmetry), the quantum may be observed by exciting the field, as with the Higgs boson. But if the symmetry is not...
  2. ForgeJB

    I How can there be fluctuations in the inflaton field value?

    http://www.counterbalance.org/cq-turok/etern-body.html https://ned.ipac.caltech.edu/level5/Kolb/Kolb3_1.html) http://www.astronomy.ohio-state.edu/~dhw/A873/notes7.pdf) According to QFT, if you make repeated measurements of some property of the field then you will in general measure a...
  3. S

    I How Can I Graph Hubble Term vs. Inflaton Using Mathematica?

    From cosmology, ##H^2 = \frac{ρ}{3M_p^2} = \frac{1}{3M_p^2}(½\dot φ^2 + ½m^2φ^2)## Suppose ##V(φ) = ½m^2φ^2## where ##ρ## = density ##M_p## = Planck mass I want to graph ##H## vs. ##φ## but there is a ##\dot φ## and I know this is a differential equation, can somebody help me what to do here?
  4. P

    B Are inflatons the same as fewer gravitons?

    I'm not very conversant in the subject. But it is my impression that the acceleration of the expansion of the observable universe has generated a theory that there might be a new particle (field?) call the inflaton. On the other hand, I thought I'd heard that scientists were trying to find...
  5. P

    I How do inflatons and gravity interact?

    Is the theory that inflatons become dominate when gravity is strong (as in right after the big band) and when gravity is weak (as in driving the current expansion of the observable universe)?
  6. K

    Can Higgs be the inflaton - can LHC produce an inflaton 750

    could the higgs boson be the inflaton 126gev if not could the possible 750gev diphoton be the inflaton? what are the properties of the inflaton? could inflaton be scalar dark matter?
  7. P

    How can an inflaton field maintain its energy while expanding without diluting?

    In the general descriptiopns of Inflation Theories, they mainly rely on the inflaton field having a property by which it is 'non-diluting' Can anyone explain just how anything can be non-diluting? Is energy simply condensed from "somewhere" to propagate the field and maintain it's energy as it...
  8. Shahrokh

    Exploring Bosonic Decays After Inflation

    Inflation , as proposed, leaves the universe cold and empty. The compensating theory of reheating or preheating then needed to operate after inflationary era. Such theories prefer three legs bosonic decays φ→χχ, which doesn't have any analogy with standard model processes as much as I know. How...
  9. B

    The Inflaton Field And Repulsive Gravity

    Hello! I am reading "The Hidden Reality" by Brian Greene at the moment and I have a few questions about his discussion on inflationary cosmology that I do not feel he covered/I was able to understand from the text. As far as I can tell, there is a hypothetical field called the inflaton...
  10. Dilatino

    How are inflaton particles that drive the early inflation created?

    Assuming that the early inflation of the universe is driven by the potential energy of some inflaton field(s), the "normal" matter is created only after this rapid inflation has stopped by conversion of the latent energy of the corresponding phase transition to particles. Does this mean that...
  11. S

    Early Universe scalar field, inflaton and analogies in electric field

    I have been trying to get my head around this topic for a while. As I go through the description of scalar fields, the inflation and the potential inflaton, (in description as in ned.ipac.caltech.edu), I constantly miss a concept. There must be a fundamental difference between the type of...
  12. F

    Why do we need the inflaton to expland space-time?

    Hi all! Fields associated with a particle affect other particles and their fields and that's ok. But why would a particle affect the space-time (which is not a particle) making it expand? Thank you in advance!
  13. A

    Gravity is a limitless supply of energy to inflaton field

    In the Fabric of the cosmos, B Greene indicates that 'as the universe expands, matter and radiation lose energy to gravity while inflaton field gains energy from gravity' (page 312). I can accept that statement, but in his note no. 2 (page 524), he indicates that 'the special feature about...
  14. P

    Inflaton after chaotic inflation

    Can anyone explain to me why after chaotic inflation with V=\frac{1}{2}m^2 \phi^2 that the inflaton behaves as; \phi=\frac{m_p}{m \sqrt{3\pi}t} \sin(mt). because this doesn't satify the slow roll conditions or the eqn of motion for the inflaton. I have read that it asymptotically approaches...
  15. F

    Difference between the Higgs field and the Inflaton field?

    I wonder...
  16. S

    Higgs & Inflaton: Does New Boson Discovery Change Anything?

    So now CERN have announced a 4.9 sigma discovery of a new Boson most likely the Higgs does this make the existence of the inlaton more pluasible , less plausible or make no difference whatsoever?
  17. S

    Inflaton Field and Boucne Models

    Inflaton Field and Bounce Models In traditional inflation, there is a field known as the inflaton which a boson of the same name. Hybrid models of inflation , if I've understood correrctly(?) have a field to start inflation and a field to stop it. However recent work on bounce mdoels such as in...
  18. R

    Inflaton Field, Cosmological Constants and Spacetime

    I can accept that spacetime has no substantial aspect to it because for General Covariance (Diffeomorphism Invariance) to be true, spacetime "points" can't be real or else General Covariance won't work. Now question. How does Inflaton Field and the Cosmological Constants for example interact...
  19. marcus

    Identifying the Inflaton (new paper Easson et al)

    An interesting paper just appeared on arxiv today. http://arxiv.org/abs/1009.3741 Identifying the Inflaton Damien A. Easson, Brian A. Powell 5 pages, 2 figures (Submitted on 20 Sep 2010) "We explore the ability of experimental physics to uncover the underlying structure of the...
  20. C

    The speed of sound of the inflaton field

    I've been reading about inflation and i encountered that one can always define the sound's speed as c_s^2 \equiv \frac{\partial_X P}{\partial_X \rho} where X \equiv \frac{1}{2} g^{ab} \partial_a \phi \partial_b \phi. In the case of a canonical scalar field P=X-V and \rho=X+V, so c_s^2=1...
  21. T

    Inflaton and the boltzmann equation's density/velocity sources

    Hi, I'm looking for a resource which explains how the inflaton (and metric) perturbations are related to the CMB; in particular a lot of common sources (Dodelson in particular and some reviews I found on arxiv) simply state that the photon-baryon fluid has a 'monopole' (density perturbation)...
  22. marcus

    60 efolds with no inflaton, no slow roll, no reheating-QEG's apt to be right

    60 efolds with no inflaton, no slow roll, no reheating---QEG's apt to be right QEG predicts the Einstein-Hilbert action of General Relativity. don't have to put it in by hand Starting with zero entropy it predicts the right amount of entropy after inflation. (essentially the measured CMB...
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