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Constraining monodromy inflation
Copyright policy )We use cosmic microwave background (CMB) data from the 9-year WMAP release to derive constraints on monodromy inflation, which is characterized by a linear inflaton potential with a periodic modulation. We identify two possible periodic modulations that significantly improve the fit, but it is unclear whether this improvement is associated with a "signal" or with the scatter in the measured angular power spectrum. The unmodulated potential is mildly favored by standard model selection criteria. A modulated inflationary potential can generate substantial primordial non-Gaussianity, of a specific and characteristic form. For the best-fit parameters to the WMAP angular power spectrum, the corresponding non-Gaussianity might be detectable in upcoming CMB data, allowing nontrivial consistency checks on the predictions of a modulated inflationary potential.
Version 3 -- minor editorial corrections. Version 2 -- significant revision from v1 (Overall amplitude of the potential added as a free parameter; still see two localized peaks in modulation frequency, but the best fit has significantly improved, to -2 \Delta log(L) ~ -20 with respect to reference model)
Microsoft Academic Graph classification: CMB cold spot Non-Gaussianity Inflaton Monodromy Inflation (cosmology) Cosmology Physics Cosmic microwave background Cosmic background radiation Particle physics
arXiv: Astrophysics::Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics
Astronomy and Astrophysics, Astrophysics - Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics, High Energy Physics - Phenomenology, High Energy Physics - Theory, Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics (astro-ph.CO), High Energy Physics - Phenomenology (hep-ph), High Energy Physics - Theory (hep-th), FOS: Physical sciences
Astronomy and Astrophysics, Astrophysics - Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics, High Energy Physics - Phenomenology, High Energy Physics - Theory, Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics (astro-ph.CO), High Energy Physics - Phenomenology (hep-ph), High Energy Physics - Theory (hep-th), FOS: Physical sciences
Microsoft Academic Graph classification: CMB cold spot Non-Gaussianity Inflaton Monodromy Inflation (cosmology) Cosmology Physics Cosmic microwave background Cosmic background radiation Particle physics
arXiv: Astrophysics::Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics
- New York University United States
- Institute for Advanced Study United States
- University College London United Kingdom
- University of Auckland New Zealand
- University of London United Kingdom
- New York University United States
- Institute for Advanced Study United States
- University College London United Kingdom
- University of Auckland New Zealand
- University of London United Kingdom
We use cosmic microwave background (CMB) data from the 9-year WMAP release to derive constraints on monodromy inflation, which is characterized by a linear inflaton potential with a periodic modulation. We identify two possible periodic modulations that significantly improve the fit, but it is unclear whether this improvement is associated with a "signal" or with the scatter in the measured angular power spectrum. The unmodulated potential is mildly favored by standard model selection criteria. A modulated inflationary potential can generate substantial primordial non-Gaussianity, of a specific and characteristic form. For the best-fit parameters to the WMAP angular power spectrum, the corresponding non-Gaussianity might be detectable in upcoming CMB data, allowing nontrivial consistency checks on the predictions of a modulated inflationary potential.
Version 3 -- minor editorial corrections. Version 2 -- significant revision from v1 (Overall amplitude of the potential added as a free parameter; still see two localized peaks in modulation frequency, but the best fit has significantly improved, to -2 \Delta log(L) ~ -20 with respect to reference model)