The discussion revolves around the interaction between inflatons and gravity, particularly in the context of the early universe during inflation and the current accelerated expansion of the universe. Participants explore theoretical implications, the role of gravity, and the nature of inflatons in these scenarios.
Participants express multiple competing views regarding the interaction of inflatons and gravity, and the discussion remains unresolved on several points, particularly concerning the nature of gravity during inflation and the current expansion.
Limitations include unclear definitions of gravity's strength, the dependence on specific models of inflation, and unresolved questions about the decay of energy into particles during different phases of cosmic expansion.
Current models typically make use of General Relativity, with the stress-energy tensor during inflation dominated by the inflaton. That is, inflation models have no change in gravity at all, and the inflaton interacts with gravity just like everything else: through energy, momentum, pressure, and twisting forces.Pjpic said: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)?
Chronos said:Matter had not yet come into existence at the time of inflation, so the role of gravity during inflation is not entirely clear. Guth suggests a special case of gravity during inflation - a repulsive form that drives inflation. In his version the energy driving inflation decays into the hot particle soup of the classical big bang.
Nope. The inflaton field is a bizarre creature with an unusual stress-energy content. In particular, p \propto -\rho: it is a perfect fluid with a negative pressure. In the limit that p = -\rho/3, the density \rho is constant.Pjpic said:a) The density of a black hole doesn't create the same effect?
Do you mean the current accelerated expansion? Nobody knows because we lack a well-understood and well-supported model describing this accelerated expansion.b) Does the energy driving the current expansion decay into particles?