Chain Inflation: "Bubble Bubble Toil and Trouble"
Year: 2004
Type: preprint
Abstract: We propose the model of Chain Inflation, in which a sequential chain of coupled scalar fields can drive inflation. Motivated by the stringy landscape, we allow the number of fields to be very large, ranging from hundreds to many more; we note that the model is quite general and applies to any multidimensional potential, in string theory or otherwise. Each stage of inflation (which can be thought of as one of the fields achieving its true vacuum) contributes only a fraction of an e-fold. The coupling between the fields is crucial to achieving reheating. We focus in particular on a sequential chain of tunneling fields, where the nucleation rate of each of the fields is catalyzed to change radically from slow to fast by interaction with other fields in the chain, so that ``graceful exit'' is achieved. The model is quite generic and succeeds for natural couplings and parameters.
Source: arXiv (Cornell University)
Authors: Katherine Freese, Douglas Spolyar
Language: English
Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2962959764