Observational constraints on gauge field production in axion inflation

Observational constraints on particle production during inflation

Resonant particle production, along with many other physical processes which change the effective equation of state (EOS) during inflation, introduces a feature in the primordial power spectrum which in many models has a step-like shape. We calculate observational constraints on resonant particle production, parametrized in the form of an effective step height, Neff and location in k-space, kbr...

Gravitational leptogenesis in axion inflation with SU(2) gauge field

We present an intrinsic leptogenesis mechanism in models of axion inflation with a classical SU(2) gauge field. The gauge field is coupled to the axion with a Chern-Simons interaction and comprises a tiny fraction of the total energy, ρ YM ρtot . 2. However, it has spin-2 fluctuations which breaks the parity and leads to the generation of chiral gravitational waves during inflation. By the grav...

Observational Constraints on Inflation Models with Nonminimal Scalar Field

The power spectra of the scalarand tensor-type structures generated in an inflation model based on nonminimally coupled scalar field are derived. The contributions of these structures to the anisotropy of the cosmic microwave background radiation are derived, and are compared with the four year COBE DMR data. The constraints on the ratio of the self-coupling and nonmimimal coupling constants, t...

Observational constraints on cosmic string production during brane inflation

Overall, brane inflation is compatible with the recent analysis of the Wilkinson microwave anisotropy probe ~WMAP! data. Here we explore the constraints of WMAP and the 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey ~2dFGRS! data on the various brane inflationary scenarios. Brane inflation naturally ends with the production of cosmic strings, which may provide a way to distinguish these models observationally. We ...

Observational Constraints on Non-Canonical Inflation