The effects of potential shape on inhomogeneous inflation

TY - JOUR

T1 - The effects of potential shape on inhomogeneous inflation

AU - Aurrekoetxea, Josu C.

AU - Clough, Katy

AU - Flauger, Raphael

AU - Lim, Eugene A.

PY - 2020/5

Y1 - 2020/5

N2 - We study the robustness of single-field inflation against inhomogeneities. We derive a simple analytic criterion on the shape of the potential for successful inflation in the presence of inhomogeneities, and demonstrate its validity using full 3+1 dimensional numerical relativity simulations on several classes of popular models of single-field inflation. We find that models with convex potentials are more robust to inhomogeneities than those with concave potentials, and that concave potentials that vary on super-Planckian scales are significantly more robust than those that vary on sub-Planckian scales.

AB - We study the robustness of single-field inflation against inhomogeneities. We derive a simple analytic criterion on the shape of the potential for successful inflation in the presence of inhomogeneities, and demonstrate its validity using full 3+1 dimensional numerical relativity simulations on several classes of popular models of single-field inflation. We find that models with convex potentials are more robust to inhomogeneities than those with concave potentials, and that concave potentials that vary on super-Planckian scales are significantly more robust than those that vary on sub-Planckian scales.

KW - gravity

KW - ination

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85085701630&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1088/1475-7516/2020/05/030

DO - 10.1088/1475-7516/2020/05/030

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85085701630

SN - 1475-7516

VL - 2020

JO - Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics

JF - Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics

IS - 5

M1 - 030

ER -