Brian Greene: Hidden Reality Book

[Lino]

I listening to Brian Greene's book! i.e. the audio book. There is something that is mentioned many times, but I don't recognise the word / language, so forgive me if the spelling is very wrong(!). Basically, when explaining the variations on the CMBR, he refers to something like an "implonton" field. The probel about an audio book is that I can't do a quick search and read around the topic, so I'm a bit stuck. Can anyone tell me what the correct word / spelling that he is referencing should be? All help greatly appreciated.

Regards,


Noel.

 

[Ynaught?]

Hey Lino,

I think the word you're looking for is "inflaton"

Try here: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/inflaton

 

[Lino]

Thanks Ynaught, but I don't think so (I familliar with the word "infalation" and it is also a word that comes up frequently in the book, so it is not just the way it is pronounced).

The other word (?) is a theoritical particle, with an associated field, that he mentions when explaining why the CMBR is as uniform as it is (variations in the CMBR are as small as they are because of the stablising effect of the field as the initial period of super inflation 'happened' - I may have this summary incorrect as I am basing this on my interputation from one set of comments in one book, hence I am looking to find the "word" in order to do further investigation).


Regards,


Noel.

 

[Ynaught?]

Hey Noel,

The word is Inflaton, not Inflation - drop the second "i" and pronounce with a soft "a" (I have no clue what "Infalation" is...).

The inflaton is the hypothetical field/particle that may be responsible for inflation.

Google "inflaton" and read some of the links on inflation theory/cosomology... Like this one for example: http://universe-review.ca/R02-13-inflation.htm

 

[Lino]

Thanks Ynaught. That makes a lot of sense, and you can see why I'm listening to, and not reading, the book - I can't even recognise spilling irrers in my own posting!


Regards,


Noel.