Large field polynomial inflation: parameter space, predictions and (double) eternal nature

Inflation and Eternal Inflation

The basic workings of inflationary models are summarized, along with the arguments that strongly suggest that our universe is the product of inflation. The mechanisms that lead to eternal inflation in both new and chaotic models are described. Although the infinity of pocket universes produced by eternal inflation are unobservable, it is argued that eternal inflation has real consequences in te...

Uncertainties of predictions in models of eternal inflation.

Primordial Black Holes, Eternal Inflation, and the Inflationary Parameter Space after WMAP5

We consider constraints on inflation driven by a single, minimally coupled scalar field in the light of the WMAP5 dataset, as well as ACBAR and the SuperNova Legacy Survey. We use the Slow Roll Reconstruction algorithm to derive optimal constraints on the inflationary parameter space. The scale dependence in the slope of the scalar spectrum permitted by WMAP5 is large enough to lead to viable m...

Double-field inflation.

We present an inflationary universe model which utilizes two coupled real scalar fields. The inflation field φ experiences a first order phase transition and its potential dominates the energy density of the Universe during the inflationary epoch. This field φ is initially trapped in its metastable minimum and must tunnel through a potential barrier to reach the true vacuum. The second auxiliar...

Eternal inflation and its implications ‡

I summarize the arguments that strongly suggest that our universe is the product of inflation. The mechanisms that lead to eternal inflation in both new and chaotic models are described. Although the infinity of pocket universes produced by eternal inflation are unobservable, it is argued that eternal inflation has real consequences in terms of the way that predictions are extracted from theore...