Search results for "Astrophysics - cosmology and nongalactic astrophysics"
showing 10 items of 607 documents
New- vs. chaotic- inflations
2015
We show that "spiralized" models of new-inflation can be experimentally identified mostly by their positive spectral running in direct contrast with most chaotic-inflation models which have negative runnings typically in the range of $\mathcal{O}(10^{-4}-10^{-3})$.
Inflation with mixed helicities and its observational imprint on CMB
2018
In the framework of effective field theories with prominent helicity-0 and helicity-1 fields coupled to each other via a dimension-3 operator, we study the dynamics of inflation driven by the helicity-0 mode, with a given potential energy, as well as the evolution of cosmological perturbations, influenced by the presence of a mixing term between both helicities. In this scenario, the temporal component of the helicity-1 mode is an auxiliary field and can be integrated out in terms of the time derivative of the helicity-0 mode, so that the background dynamics effectively reduces to that in single-field inflation modulated by a parameter $\beta$ associated to the coupling between helicity-0 a…
Coupling matter in modified $Q$-gravity
2018
We present a novel theory of gravity by considering an extension of symmetric teleparallel gravity. This is done by introducing, in the framework of the metric-affine formalism, a new class of theories where the nonmetricity $Q$ is nonminimally coupled to the matter Lagrangian. More specifically, we consider a Lagrangian of the form $L \sim f_1(Q) + f_2(Q) L_M$, where $f_1$ and $f_2$ are generic functions of $Q$, and $L_M$ is the matter Lagrangian. This nonminimal coupling entails the nonconservation of the energy-momentum tensor, and consequently the appearance of an extra force. The motivation is to verify whether the subtle improvement of the geometrical formulation, when implemented in …
Adiabatic regularization for spin-1/2 fields
2013
We extend the adiabatic regularization method to spin-1/2 fields. The ansatz for the adiabatic expansion for fermionic modes differs significantly from the WKB-type template that works for scalar modes. We give explicit expressions for the first adiabatic orders and analyze particle creation in de Sitter spacetime. As for scalar fields, the adiabatic method can be distinguished by its capability to overcome the UV divergences of the particle number operator. We also test the consistency of the extended method by working out the conformal and axial anomalies for a Dirac field in a Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertson-Walker spacetime, in exact agreement with those obtained from other renormalization…
Kinetically Modified Non-Minimal Chaotic Inflation
2015
We consider Supersymmetric (SUSY) and non-SUSY models of chaotic inflation based on the phi^n potential with 2<=n<=6. We show that the coexistence of a nonminimal coupling to gravity, fR=1+cR phi^(n/2), with a kinetic mixing of the form fK=cK fR^m can accommodate values of the spectral index, ns, and the tensor-to-scalar ratio, r, favored by the Bicep2/Keck Array and Planck results for 0<=m<=4 and 2.5x10^(-4)<=rRK=cR/cK^{n/4}<=1, where the upper limit is not imposed for n=2. Inflation can be attained for subplanckian inflaton values with the corresponding effective theories retaining the perturbative unitarity up to the Planck scale.
Metric-Palatini gravity unifying local constraints and late-time cosmic acceleration
2011
We present a novel approach to modified theories of gravity that consists of adding to the Einstein-Hilbert Lagrangian an f(R) term constructed a la Palatini. Using the respective dynamically equivalent scalar-tensor representation, we show that the theory can pass the Solar System observational constraints even if the scalar field is very light. This implies the existence of a long-range scalar field, which is able to modify the cosmological and galactic dynamics, but leaves the Solar System unaffected. We also verify the absence of instabilities in perturbations and provide explicit models which are consistent with local tests and lead to the late-time cosmic acceleration.
The degenerate gravitino scenario
2010
In this work, we explore the "degenerate gravitino" scenario where the mass difference between the gravitino and the lightest MSSM particle is much smaller than the gravitino mass itself. In this case, the energy released in the decay of the next to lightest sypersymmetric particle (NLSP) is reduced. Consequently the cosmological and astrophysical constraints on the gravitino abundance, and hence on the reheating temperature, become softer than in the usual case. On the other hand, such small mass splittings generically imply a much longer lifetime for the NLSP. We find that, in the constrained MSSM (CMSSM), for neutralino LSP or NLSP, reheating temperatures compatible with thermal leptogen…
Vacuum Topology of the Two Higgs Doublet Model
2011
We perform a systematic study of generic accidental Higgs-family and CP symmetries that could occur in the two-Higgs-doublet-model potential, based on a Majorana scalar-field formalism which realizes a subgroup of GL(8,C). We derive the general conditions of convexity and stability of the scalar potential and present analytical solutions for two non-zero neutral vacuum expectation values of the Higgs doublets for a typical set of six symmetries, in terms of the gauge-invariant parameters of the theory. By means of a homotopy-group analysis, we identify the topological defects associated with the spontaneous symmetry breaking of each symmetry, as well as the massless Goldstone bosons emergin…
Right Handed Sneutrino Dark Matter in Inverse and Linear seesaw scenarios
2012
We consider supersymmetric models in which the right-handed sneutrino is a viable WIMP dark matter candidate. These are either simple extensions of the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model or models with the addition of an extra U(1) group. All of them can explain small neutrino masses, through either the Inverse or the Linear Seesaw mechanism. We investigate the properties of the dark matter candidate naturally arising in these scenarios. We check for phenomenological bounds, such as correct relic abundance, consistency with direct detection cross section limits and laboratory constraints. Especially, we comment on limitations of the model space due to lepton flavour violating charged lep…
A novel approach to quantifying the sensitivity of current and future cosmological datasets to the neutrino mass ordering through Bayesian hierarchic…
2017
We present a novel approach to derive constraints on neutrino masses from cosmological data, while taking into account our ignorance of the neutrino mass ordering. We derive constraints from a combination of current and future cosmological datasets on the total neutrino mass $M_\nu$ and on the mass fractions carried by each of the mass eigenstates, after marginalizing over the (unknown) neutrino mass ordering, either normal (NH) or inverted (IH). The bounds take therefore into account the uncertainty related to our ignorance of the mass hierarchy. This novel approach is carried out in the framework of Bayesian analysis of a typical hierarchical problem. In this context, the choice of the ne…