Difference between the Higgs field and the Inflaton field?

In summary: Inflation is caused by an imbalance of fields, and the present universe is not in the Higgs false vacuum, but in a true vacuum that breaks the electroweak symmetry. The Higgs field is "off", its nonzero VEV notwithstanding, from a conceptual point of view. So although the electroweak Higgs doesn't work as an inflaton, it's not wrong to consider it as one.
  • #1
friend
1,452
9
I wonder...
 
Space news on Phys.org
  • #2
Well for one thing, the Inflaton field needs to be turned off somehow (since inflation ended), but as far as I know there is no way to turn the Higgs field off.
 
  • #3
nicksauce said:
Well for one thing, the Inflaton field needs to be turned off somehow (since inflation ended), but as far as I know there is no way to turn the Higgs field off.

Or, perhaps the inflaton field is turned off by the Higgs field turning on. For it seems the more mass the universe has the more tendency there would be to contract instead of expand. Could it all be one field whose value reverses?
 
  • #4
I think people also think the inflaton mass in something like 10^11-10^13 GeV, so the Higgs is too light. I forget the exact reasoning here though.
 
  • #6
Are the 3 generations of mass for electrons, muon, and tau, for example, due to a difference in how the Higgs field interacts with the an electron? And is the decay of the tau to the muon to an electron due to how the higgs mechanism to a base particle?
 
Last edited:
  • #7
nicksauce said:
Well for one thing, the Inflaton field needs to be turned off somehow (since inflation ended), but as far as I know there is no way to turn the Higgs field off.
I'm not quite sure I understand this. Inflation is caused by any field that is sufficiently dominated by its potential (vacuum energy). This is true of the Higgs field in its false vacuum state. The present universe, however, is not in the Higgs false vacuum, but in some true vacuum that breaks the electroweak symmetry. In this sense, the Higgs field is very much "off", its nonzero VEV notwithstanding. From a conceptual point of view, then, there is nothing wrong with considering the Higgs as a model inflaton: the field starts in the false vacuum during which time the universe inflates, and then rolls down to the true vacuum, at which time the universe stops inflating.

The electroweak Higgs was originally eyed as a potential inflaton candidate, but it doesn't give the right CMB fluctuations. There is much present interest in adding gravitational couplings and non-standard kinetic terms to the electroweak Higgs sector to render a Higgs field viable for inflation.
 
  • #8
bapowell said:
I'm not quite sure I understand this. Inflation is caused by any field that is sufficiently dominated by its potential (vacuum energy). This is true of the Higgs field in its false vacuum state. The present universe, however, is not in the Higgs false vacuum, but in some true vacuum that breaks the electroweak symmetry. In this sense, the Higgs field is very much "off", its nonzero VEV notwithstanding. From a conceptual point of view, then, there is nothing wrong with considering the Higgs as a model inflaton: the field starts in the false vacuum during which time the universe inflates, and then rolls down to the true vacuum, at which time the universe stops inflating.

The electroweak Higgs was originally eyed as a potential inflaton candidate, but it doesn't give the right CMB fluctuations. There is much present interest in adding gravitational couplings and non-standard kinetic terms to the electroweak Higgs sector to render a Higgs field viable for inflation.


Hmmm... perhaps I had misunderstood the problem then.
 

1. What is the Higgs field and the Inflaton field?

The Higgs field and the Inflaton field are both theoretical concepts in particle physics used to explain the fundamental forces and properties of the universe. The Higgs field is responsible for giving particles mass, while the Inflaton field is believed to have played a role in the rapid expansion of the universe during the Big Bang.

2. How are the Higgs field and the Inflaton field different?

The main difference between the Higgs field and the Inflaton field is their role in the universe. The Higgs field is a pervasive field that gives particles mass, while the Inflaton field is thought to have only existed during the very early stages of the universe and was responsible for the rapid expansion of space.

3. Can the Higgs field and the Inflaton field coexist?

Yes, the Higgs field and the Inflaton field are both theoretical concepts that can coexist in our understanding of the universe. In fact, some theories suggest that the Inflaton field may have played a role in triggering the Higgs field and giving particles mass.

4. How do scientists study the Higgs field and the Inflaton field?

Scientists study the Higgs field and the Inflaton field through experiments and observations, as well as theoretical models and mathematical calculations. The discovery of the Higgs boson in 2012 at the Large Hadron Collider confirmed the existence of the Higgs field, while the Inflaton field is still being studied through observations of cosmic microwave background radiation and other astrophysical phenomena.

5. What is the significance of understanding the Higgs field and the Inflaton field?

Understanding the Higgs field and the Inflaton field is crucial to our understanding of the fundamental forces and properties of the universe. They provide possible explanations for the origin of mass and the expansion of the universe, and studying them can help us gain a deeper understanding of the universe and its origins.

Similar threads

Replies
1
Views
932
Replies
2
Views
1K
Replies
1
Views
858
Replies
2
Views
714
Replies
3
Views
1K
  • Cosmology
2
Replies
36
Views
3K
  • Cosmology
Replies
6
Views
1K
Replies
6
Views
1K
  • Quantum Physics
Replies
7
Views
827
Back
Top