The discussion centers on the relationship between matter-antimatter annihilation during baryogenesis and cosmic inflation. It establishes that, according to the Big Bang model, the Universe initially contained both matter and antimatter, with annihilation leaving a slight excess of matter. However, the annihilation process is distinct from cosmic inflation, which occurs prior to baryogenesis and involves the inflaton field. Additionally, dark energy's relevance emerged much later in cosmic history.
PREREQUISITESAstronomers, physicists, and cosmologists interested in the early Universe, particle physics, and the dynamics of cosmic inflation and dark energy.
According to the Big Bang model, the Universe was awash in particles of both matter and antimatter shortly after the Big Bang. Most of this material annihilated, but because there was slightly more matter than antimatter -- less than one part per billion -- only matter was left behind, at least in the local Universe.