TY - JOUR
T1 - Identifying the inflaton with primordial gravitational waves
AU - Easson, Damien
AU - Powell, Brian A.
PY - 2011/5/11
Y1 - 2011/5/11
N2 - We explore the ability of experimental physics to uncover the underlying structure of the gravitational Lagrangian describing inflation. While the observable degeneracy of the inflationary parameter space is large, future measurements of observables beyond the adiabatic and tensor two-point functions, such as non-Gaussianity or isocurvature modes, might reduce this degeneracy. We show that, even in the absence of such observables, the range of possible inflaton potentials can be reduced with a precision measurement of the tensor spectral index, as might be possible with a direct detection of primordial gravitational waves.
AB - We explore the ability of experimental physics to uncover the underlying structure of the gravitational Lagrangian describing inflation. While the observable degeneracy of the inflationary parameter space is large, future measurements of observables beyond the adiabatic and tensor two-point functions, such as non-Gaussianity or isocurvature modes, might reduce this degeneracy. We show that, even in the absence of such observables, the range of possible inflaton potentials can be reduced with a precision measurement of the tensor spectral index, as might be possible with a direct detection of primordial gravitational waves.
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U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.106.191302
DO - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.106.191302
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:79960651185
SN - 0031-9007
VL - 106
JO - Physical Review Letters
JF - Physical Review Letters
IS - 19
M1 - 191302
ER -