Graduate Non-minimally coupled inflation — expansion

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the role of the Ricci scalar (R) in the context of inflationary cosmology, specifically as described in the Wikipedia article on "Inflaton." The formula presented includes various components such as the inflaton field (Φ), its potential (V(Φ)), and the interaction strength (ξ) between R and Φ. It is definitively stated that the Ricci scalar does not measure the expansion of space; rather, it quantifies the curvature of spacetime.

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  • Understanding of general relativity and spacetime curvature
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The discussion is beneficial for theoretical physicists, cosmologists, and students studying advanced topics in general relativity and inflationary theory.

svenz706
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Hello,

In the Wikipedia article on "Inflaton" there appears the following formula:
##S=\int d^{4}x \sqrt{-g}[ \frac{1}{2}m^2_{P}R-\frac{1}{2}\partial^\mu\Phi\partial_{ \mu }\Phi-V(\Phi)-\frac{ 1 }{ 2}\xi R \Phi^]##

with
##\xi## representing the strength of the interaction between
R and ##\phi## which respectively relate to the curvature of space and the magnitude of the inflaton field.

Does ##R##, the Ricci scalar, represent a measure of the expansion of space?

https://arxiv.org/abs/1002.2995
 
Space news on Phys.org
No. The Ricci scalar is a measure of the curvature of spacetime.
 
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