arXiv subjects

G. Lazarides

Publications and source records attributed to G. Lazarides.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2007

Reducing the spectral index in F-term hybrid inflation through a complementary modular inflation

We consider two-stage inflationary models in which a superheavy scale F-term hybrid inflation is followed by an intermediate scale modular inflation. We confront these models with the restrictions on the power spectrum P_R of curvature perturbations and the spectral index n_s implied by the recent data within the power-law cosmological model with cold dark matter and a cosmological constant. We show that these restrictions can be met provided that the number of e-foldings N_HI* suffered by the pivot scale k_*=0.002/Mpc during hybrid inflation is appropriately restricted. The additional e-foldings required for solving the horizon and flatness problems can be naturally generated by the subsequent modular inflation. For central values of P_R and n_s, we find that, in the case of standard hybrid inflation, the values obtained for the grand unification scale are close to its supersymmetric value M_GUT=2.86 x 10^16 GeV, the relevant coupling constant is relatively large (0.005-0.14), and N_HI* between about 10 and 21.7. In the case of shifted [smooth] hybrid inflation, the grand unification scale can be identified with M_GUT provided that N_HI*=21 [N_HI*=18].

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arXiv2006

Supersymmetric Dark Matter, Inflation and Yukawa Quasi-Unification

The construction of supersymmetric grand unified models based on the Pati-Salam gauge group and leading to a set of Yukawa quasi-unification conditions is briefly reviewed. For each sign of mu, an appropriately chosen condition from this set can allow an acceptable b-quark mass within the constrained minimal supersymmetric standard model. The restrictions on the parameter space which arise from the cold dark matter, b-->s gamma, muon anomalous magnetic moment and collider requirements are also investigated. For mu>0, a wide and natural range of parameters is allowed. On the contrary, the mu<0 case is excluded by the combination of the cold dark matter and b-->s gamma requirements. In the mu>0 case, the predicted neutralinos are possibly detectable in the future direct cold dark matter searches. Moreover, the mu term is generated via a Peccei-Quinn symmetry. The same model gives rise to a new shifted inflationary scenario, which is based only on renormalizable terms and does not suffer from the problem of monopole overproduction at the end of inflation. Although inflation takes place at large values of the inflaton field and, thus, supergravity corrections could invalidate it, this does not happen provided that an extra gauge singlet with a superheavy vacuum expectation value from D-terms is introduced and a specific Kaehler potential is used.

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arXiv2005

Modular inflation and the orthogonal axion as curvaton

We study a particular supersymmetric realization of the Peccei-Quinn symmetry which provides a suitable candidate for the curvaton field. The class of models considered also solves the mu problem, while generating the Peccei-Quinn scale dynamically. The curvaton candidate is a pseudo Nambu-Goldstone boson corresponding to an angular degree of freedom orthogonal to the axion field. Its order parameter increases substantially following a phase transition during inflation. This results in a drastic amplification of the curvaton perturbations. Consequently, the mechanism is able to accommodate low-scale inflation with Hubble parameter at the TeV scale. Hence, we investigate modular inflation using a string axion field as the inflaton with inflation scale determined by gravity mediated soft supersymmetry breaking. We find that modular inflation with the orthogonal axion as curvaton can indeed account for the observations for natural values of the parameters.

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arXiv2004

Constraints on a mixed inflaton and curvaton scenario for the generation of the curvature perturbation

We consider a supersymmetric grand unified model which naturally solves the strong CP and mu problems via a Peccei-Quinn symmetry and leads to the standard realization of hybrid inflation. We show that the Peccei-Quinn field of this model can act as curvaton. In contrast to the standard curvaton hypothesis, both the inflaton and the curvaton contribute to the total curvature perturbation. The model predicts an isocurvature perturbation too which has mixed correlation with the adiabatic one. The cold dark matter of the universe is mostly constituted by axions plus a small amount of lightest sparticles. The predictions of the model are confronted with the Wilkinson microwave anisotropy probe and other cosmic microwave background radiation data. We analyze two representative choices of parameters and derive bounds on the curvaton contribution to the adiabatic perturbation. We find that, for the choice which provides the best fitting of the data, the curvaton contribution to the adiabatic amplitude must be smaller than about 67% (at 95% confidence level). The best-fit power spectra are dominated by the adiabatic part of the inflaton contribution. We use Bayesian model comparison to show that this choice of parameters is disfavored with respect to the pure inflaton scale-invariant case with odds of 50 to 1. For the second choice of parameters, the adiabatic mode is dominated by the curvaton, but this choice is strongly disfavored relative to the pure inflaton scale-invariant case (with odds of 10^7 to 1). We conclude that in the present framework the perturbations must be dominated by the adiabatic component from the inflaton.

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arXiv2004

Yukawa Quasi-Unification and Inflation

We review the construction of a concrete supersymmetric grand unified model, which naturally leads to a moderate violation of "asymptotic" Yukawa unification and, thus, can allow an acceptable b-quark mass within the constrained minimal supersymmetric standard model with mu>0. The model possesses a wide and natural range of parameters which is consistent with the data on the cold dark matter abundance in the universe, b-->s gamma, the muon anomalous magnetic moment and the Higgs boson masses. Also, it automatically leads to a new version of shifted hybrid inflation, which avoids overproduction of monopoles at the end of inflation by using only renormalizable terms.

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arXiv2003

On Yukawa quasi-unification with mu<0

Although recent data on the muon anomalous magnetic moment strongly disfavor the constrained minimal supersymmetric standard model with mu<0, they cannot exclude it because of theoretical ambiguities. We consider this model supplemented by a Yukawa quasi-unification condition which allows an acceptable b-quark mass. We find that the cosmological upper bound on the lightest sparticle relic abundance is incompatible with the data on the branching ratio of b-->s gamma, which is evaluated by including all the next-to-leading order corrections. Thus, this scheme is not viable.

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arXiv2002

New shifted hybrid inflation

A new shifted hybrid inflationary scenario is introduced which, in contrast to the older one, relies only on renormalizable superpotential terms. This scenario is automatically realized in a concrete extension of the "minimal" supersymmetric Pati-Salam model which naturally leads to a moderate violation of Yukawa unification so that, for mu>0, the predicted b-quark mass is acceptable even with universal boundary conditions. It is shown that this extended model possesses a classically flat "shifted" trajectory which acquires a slope via one-loop radiative corrections and can be used as inflationary path. The constraints from the cosmic background explorer can be met with natural values of the relevant parameters. Also, there is no disastrous production of magnetic monopoles after inflation since the Pati-Salam gauge group is already broken on the "shifted" path. The relevant part of inflation takes place at values of the inflaton field which are not much smaller than the "reduced" Planck scale and, thus, supergravity corrections could easily invalidate inflation. It is, however, shown that inflation can be kept intact provided that an extra gauge singlet with a superheavy vacuum expectation value, which originates from D-terms, is introduced and a specific form of the Kaehler potential is used. Moreover, it is found that, although the supergravity corrections are sizable, the constraints from the cosmic background explorer can again be met by readjusting the values of the parameters which were obtained with global supersymmetry.

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arXiv2002

Yukawa Quasi-Unification

We construct concrete supersymmetric grand unified theories based on the Pati-Salam gauge group SU(4)_c x SU(2)_L x SU(2)_R which naturally lead to a moderate violation of "asymptotic" Yukawa unification and thus can allow an acceptable b-quark mass even with universal boundary conditions. We consider the constrained minimal supersymmetric standard model which emerges from one of these theories with a deviation from Yukawa unification which is adequate for mu>0. We show that this model possesses a wide and natural range of parameters which is consistent with the data on b --> s gamma, the muon anomalous magnetic moment, the cold dark matter abundance in the universe, and the Higgs boson masses. The lightest supersymmetric particle can be as light as about 107 GeV.

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arXiv2002

Inflationary Cosmology

The big bang model and the history of the early universe according to the grand unified theories are introduced. The shortcomings of big bang are discussed together with their resolution by inflationary cosmology. Inflation, the subsequent oscillation and decay of the inflaton, and the resulting "reheating" of the universe are studied. The density perturbations produced by inflation and the temperature fluctuations of the cosmic background radiation are discussed. The hybrid inflationary model is described. Two "natural" extensions of this model which avoid the disaster encountered in its standard realization from the overproduction of monopoles are presented. Successful "reheating" satisfying the gravitino constraint takes place after the end of inflation in all three versions of hybrid inflation. Adequate baryogenesis via a primordial leptogenesis occurs consistently with the solar and atmospheric neutrino oscillation data. The primordial lepton asymmetry is turned partly into baryon asymmetry via the sphalerons which are summarized.

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arXiv2002

Introduction to Cosmology

The standard big bang cosmological model and the history of the early universe according to the grand unified theories of strong, weak and electromagnetic interactions are summarized. The shortcomings of big bang are discussed together with their resolution by inflationary cosmology. Inflation and the subsequent oscillation and decay of the inflaton field are studied. The density perturbations produced during inflation and their evolution during the matter dominated era are analyzed. The temperature fluctuations of the cosmic background radiation are summarized. Finally, the nonsupersymmetric as well as the supersymmetric hybrid inflationary model is described.

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arXiv2001

Monopole Problem and Extensions of Supersymmetric Hybrid Inflation

We discuss, in the context of a concrete supersymmetric grand unified model based on the Pati-Salam gauge group SU(4)_c x SU(2)_L x SU(2)_R, two "natural" extensions of supersymmetric hybrid inflation, which avoid the cosmological disaster encountered in the standard hybrid inflationary scenario from the overproduction of monopoles at the end of inflation. Successful "reheating" which satisfies the gravitino constraint takes place after the end of inflation. Also, adequate baryogenesis via a primordial leptogenesis occurs consistently with the solar and atmospheric neutrino oscillation data as well as the SU(4)_c symmetry. Moreover, the mu-term is generated via a Peccei-Quinn symmetry and proton is practically stable.

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arXiv2001

Leptogenesis in Smooth Hybrid Inflation

We present a concrete supersymmetric grand unified model based on the Pati-Salam gauge group SU(4)_c x SU(2)_L x SU(2)_R and leading naturally to smooth hybrid inflation, which avoids the cosmological disaster encountered in the standard hybrid inflationary scenario from the overproduction of monopoles at the end of inflation. Successful `reheating' which satisfies the gravitino constraint takes place after the termination of inflation. Also, adequate baryogenesis via a primordial leptogenesis occurs consistently with the solar and atmospheric neutrino oscillation data as well as the SU(4)_c symmetry.

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arXiv2001

Inflation and Monopoles in Supersymmetric SU(4)_c x SU(2)_L x SU(2)_R

We show how hybrid inflation can be successfully realized in a supersymmetric model with gauge group G_{PS}= SU(4)_c x SU(2)_L x SU(2)_R. By including a non-renormalizable superpotential term, we generate an inflationary valley along which G_{PS} is broken to the standard model gauge group. Thus, catastrophic production of the doubly charged magnetic monopoles, which are predicted by the model, cannot occur at the end of inflation. The results of the cosmic background explorer can be reproduced with natural values (of order 10^{-3}) of the relevant coupling constant, and symmetry breaking scale of G_{PS} close to 10^{16} GeV. The spectral index of density perturbations lies between unity and 0.9. Moreover, the mu-term is generated via a Peccei-Quinn symmetry and proton is practically stable. Baryogenesis in the universe takes place via leptogenesis. The low deuterium abundance constraint on the baryon asymmetry, the gravitino limit on the reheat temperature and the requirement of almost maximal mu neutrino - tau neutrino mixing from SuperKamiokande can be simultaneously met with mu-neutrino, tau-neutrino and heaviest Dirac neutrino masses determined from the large angle MSW resolution of the solar neutrino problem, the SuperKamiokande results and SU(4)_c symmetry respectively.

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arXiv2001

Supersymmetric Hybrid Inflation

The non-supersymmetric and supersymmetric versions of hybrid inflation are summarized. It is emphasized that supersymmetric hybrid inflation (with its extensions) is an extremely "natural" inflationary scenario since it does not require "tiny" parameters, its superpotential has the most general form allowed by the symmetries, and it can be protected against radiative or supergravity corrections. A concrete supersymmetric grand unified theory which leads to hybrid inflation, solves the mu problem and generates seesaw masses for the light neutrinos is constructed. The "reheating" which follows hybrid inflation is studied in this theory. It is shown that the gravitino constraint on the "reheat" temperature can be "naturally" satisfied. Also, the observed baryon asymmetry of the universe can be generated via a primordial leptogenesis consistently with the requirements from solar and atmospheric neutrino oscillations. Extensions of the standard supersymmetric hybrid inflationary scenario which are still consistent with all these requirements but can also avoid the cosmological disaster from the possible copious monopole production at the abrupt termination of standard hybrid inflation are constructed. They rely on utilizing the leading non-renormalizable correction to the standard hybrid inflationary superpotential and are necessary for higher unified gauge groups which predict the existence of monopoles.

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arXiv2001

Cold Dark Matter and b --> s gamma in the Horava-Witten Theory

The minimal supersymmetric standard model with complete, partial or no Yukawa unification and radiative electroweak breaking with boundary conditions from the Horava-Witten theory is considered. The parameters are restricted by constraining the lightest sparticle relic abundance by cold dark matter considerations and requiring the b-quark mass after supersymmetric corrections and the branching ratio of b --> s gamma to be compatible with data. Complete Yukawa unification can be excluded. Also, t-b Yukawa unification is strongly disfavored since it requires almost degenerate lightest and next-to-lightest sparticle masses. However, the b-tau or no Yukawa unification cases avoid this degeneracy. The latter with mu<0 is the most natural case. The lightest sparticle mass, in this case, can be as low as about 77 GeV.

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arXiv2000

Monopoles, Axions and Intermediate Mass Dark Matter

We present a solution to the cosmological problem encountered in (supersymmetric) grand unified theories due to copious monopole production at the end of hybrid inflation. By employing thermal inflation ``driven'' by the U(1) axion symmetry, the superheavy monopole flux can be naturally suppressed to values that should be accessible to dedicated large scale experiments. The U(1) axion symmetry also helps generate the right magnitude for the mu term of the minimal supersymmetric standard model. An important by-product is the predicted existence of stable or very long-living fermions possessing intermediate scale masses of order 10^{12} GeV. Their presence is required for implementing thermal inflation, and their stability is due to a Z_2 symmetry. They may constitute a sizable fraction of cold dark matter, and possibly help explain the ultra-high energy cosmic ray events. The rest of cold dark matter may consist of axions. Although our discussion is carried out within the framework of supersymmetric SU(4)_c x SU(2)_L x SU(2)_R, it can be extended to other grand unified gauge groups such as SU(3)_c x SU(3)_L x SU(3)_R or SO(10).

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arXiv2000

Yukawa Unification, b --> s gamma and Bino-Stau Coannihilation

The minimal supersymmetric standard model with universal boundary conditions and "asymptotic" Yukawa unification is considered. The full one-loop effective potential for radiative electroweak symmetry breaking as well as the one-loop corrections to the charged Higgs boson, b-quark and tau lepton masses are included. The CP-even Higgs boson masses are corrected to two-loops. The relic abundance of the lightest supersymmetric particle (bino) is calculated by including its coannihilations with the next-to-lightest supersymmetric particle (lightest stau) consistently with Yukawa unification. The branching ratio of b --> s gamma is evaluated by incorporating all the applicable next-to-leading order QCD corrections. The bino-stau coannihilations reduce the bino relic abundance below the upper bound from cold dark matter considerations in a sizable fraction of the parameter space allowed by b --> s gamma for mu>0. Thus, the mu>0 case, which also predicts an acceptable b-quark mass, is perfectly compatible with data.

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arXiv2000

Supersymmetric Cold Dark Matter with Yukawa Unification

The cosmological relic density of the lightest supersymmetric particle of the minimal supersymmetric standard model is calculated under the assumption of gauge and Yukawa coupling unification. We employ radiative electroweak breaking with universal boundary conditions from gravity-mediated supersymmetry breaking. Coannihilation of the lightest supersymmetric particle, which turns out to be an almost pure bino, with the next-to-lightest supersymmetric particle (the lightest stau) is crucial for reducing its relic density to an acceptable level. Agreement with the mixed or the pure cold (in the presence of a nonzero cosmological constant) dark matter scenarios for large scale structure formation in the universe requires that the lightest stau mass is about 2-8% larger than the bino mass, which can be as low as 222 GeV. The smallest allowed value of the lightest stau mass turns out to be about 232 GeV.

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