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High Energy Theory Seminar
Ignobly Natural Chaotic Inflation
Inflation with a quadratic potential occurs naturally in theories where an axion-like field mixes with a 4-form. Such an axion is massive, with the mass which arises from the mixing being protected by the axion shift symmetry. The 4-form backgrounds break this symmetry spontaneously and comprise a mini-landscape, where their fluxes can change by emission of membranes. I will discuss the sources of possible corrections to the effective potential and outline the conditions under which they remain small. Once this is fullfilled, inflation can begin when the 4-form dominates the energy density. Eventually this energy is reduced by membrane emission and the axion can roll slowly towards its minimum, as in the simplest version of chaotic inflation.
Date & Time
March 26, 2010 | 1:00pm
Location
Jadwin 102 (Joe Henry Room)Speakers
Nemanja Kaloper
Affiliation
University of California, Davis
Event Series
Categories
Notes
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