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Konstantinos Dimopoulos

Publications and source records attributed to Konstantinos Dimopoulos.

87 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
arXiv2005

Low scale inflation and the curvaton mechanism

The primordial curvature perturbation may be due to a `curvaton' field, which dominates (or almost dominates) the energy density before it decays. In the simplest version of the curvaton model the scale of inflation has to be quite high corresponding to a Hubble parameter H>10^7 GeV. We here explore two modifications of the curvaton model which can instead allow inflation at a low scale. (i) The curvaton is a Pseudo Nambu-Goldstone Boson (PNGB), with a symmetry-breaking phase transition during inflation. (ii) The curvaton mass increases suddenly at some moment after the end of inflation but before the onset of the curvaton oscillations. Both proposals can work but not in a completely natural way. Also, the lower bound on the scale of inflation depends somewhat on the details of the framework used. Nevertheless, we show that inflation with H as low as 1 TeV or lower is possible to be attained.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2004

Curvaton and QCD Axion in Supersymmetric Theories

A pseudo Nambu-Goldstone boson as curvaton avoids the eta-problem of inflation which plagues most curvaton candidates. We point out that a concrete realization of the curvaton mechanism with a pseudo Nambu-Goldstone boson can be found in the supersymmetric Peccei-Quinn mechanism resolving the strong CP problem. In the flaton models of Peccei-Quinn symmetry breaking, the angular degree of freedom associated with the QCD axion can naturally be a flat direction during inflation and provides successful curvature perturbations. In this scheme, the preferred values of the axion scale and the Hubble parameter during inflation turn out to be about 10^{10} GeV and 10^{12} GeV, respectively. Moreover, it is found that a significant isocurvature component, (anti)correlated to the overall curvature perturbation, can be generated, which is a smoking-gun for the curvaton scenario. Finally, non-Gaussianity in the perturbation spectrum at potentially observable level is also possible.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2004

Modular Hybrid Inflation without Flat Directions and the Curvaton

I study two-stage hybrid inflation driven by moduli fields, corresponding to flat directions of supersymmetry, lifted by supergravity corrections. The first stage corresponds to a period of either fast-roll or `locked' inflation, induced by an oscillating inflaton. This is followed by a second stage of fast-roll inflation. Enough total e-foldings to encompass the cosmological scales are achieved. Structure in the Universe is generated due to a curvaton field.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2004

Hybrid Dark Sector: Locked Quintessence and Dark Matter

We present a unified model of dark matter and dark energy. The dark matter field is a modulus corresponding to a flat direction of supersymmetry, which couples, in a hybrid type potential, with the dark energy field. The latter is a light scalar, whose direction is stabilized by non-renormalizable terms. This quintessence field is kept `locked' on top of a false vacuum due to the coupling with the oscillating dark matter field. It is shown that the model can satisfy the observations when we consider low-scale gauge-mediated supersymmetry breaking. The necessary initial conditions are naturally attained by the action of supergravity corrections on the potential, in the period following the end of primordial inflation.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2004

Models of inflation liberated by the curvaton hypothesis

It is usually supposed that inflation is of the slow-roll variety, and that the inflaton generates the primordial curvature perturbation. According to the curvaton hypothesis, inflation need not be slow-roll, and if it is the inflaton generates a negligible curvature perturbation. We find that the construction of slow-roll inflation models becomes much easier under this hypothesis. Also, thermal inflation followed by fast-roll becomes viable, with no slow-roll inflation at all.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2003

Curvaton Dynamics

In contrast to the inflaton's case, the curvature perturbations due to the curvaton field depend strongly on the evolution of the curvaton before its decay. We study in detail the dynamics of the curvaton evolution during and after inflation. We consider that the flatness of the curvaton potential may be affected by supergravity corrections, which introduce an effective mass proportional to the Hubble parameter. We also consider that the curvaton potential may be dominated by a quartic or by a non-renormalizable term. We find analytic solutions for the curvaton's evolution for all these possibilities. In particular, we show that, in all the above cases, the curvaton's density ratio with respect to the background density of the Universe decreases. Therefore, it is necessary that the curvaton decays only after its potential becomes dominated by the quadratic term, which results in (Hubble damped) sinusoidal oscillations. In the case when a non-renormalizable term dominates the potential, we find a possible non-oscillatory attractor solution that threatens to erase the curvature perturbation spectrum. Finally, we study the effects of thermal corrections to the curvaton's potential and show that, if they ever dominate the effective mass, they lead to premature thermalization of the curvaton condensate. To avoid this danger, a stringent bound has to be imposed on the coupling of the curvaton to the thermal bath.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2003

The Peccei-Quinn Field as Curvaton

A simple extension of the minimal supersymmetric standard model which naturally and simultaneously solves the strong CP and mu problems via a Peccei-Quinn and a continuous R symmetry is considered. This model is supplemented with hybrid inflation and leptogenesis, but without taking the specific details of these scenarios. It is shown that the Peccei-Quinn field can successfully act as a curvaton generating the total curvature perturbation in the universe in accord with the cosmic background explorer measurements. A crucial phenomenon, which assists us to achieve this, is the "tachyonic amplification" of the perturbation acquired by this field during inflation if the field, in its subsequent evolution, happens to be stabilized for a while near a maximum of the potential. In this case, the contribution of the field to the total energy density is also enhanced ("tachyonic effect"), which helps too. The cold dark matter in the universe consists, in this model, mainly of axions which carry an isocurvature perturbation uncorrelated with the total curvature perturbation. There are also lightest sparticles (neutralinos) which, like the baryons, originate from the inflationary reheating and, thus, acquire an isocurvature perturbation fully correlated with the curvature perturbation. So, the overall isocurvature perturbation has a mixed correlation with the adiabatic one. It is shown that the presently available bound on such an isocurvature perturbation from cosmic microwave background radiation and other data is satisfied. Also, the constraint on the non-Gaussianity of the curvature perturbation obtained from the recent Wilkinson microwave anisotropy probe data is fulfilled thanks to the "tachyonic effect".

hep-ph↗
arXiv2002

The Curvaton Hypothesis and the eta-problem of Quintessential Inflation, with and without Branes

It is argued why, contrary to expectations, steep brane-inflation cannot really help in overcoming the eta-problem of quintessential inflation model-building. In contrast it is shown that the problem is substantially ameliorated under the curvaton hypothesis. This is quantified by considering possible modular quintessential inflationary models in the context of both standard and brane cosmology.

astro-ph↗
arXiv2001

Models of Quintessential Inflation

A unified approach to quintessence and inflation is investigated with the use of a single scalar field. It is argued that successful potentials have to approximate a combination of exponential and inverse power-law decline in the limit of large values of the scalar field. A class of such potentials is studied analytically and it is found that quintessential inflation is indeed possible. Successful models, not involving more than two natural mass scales, are obtained, which do not require fine-tuning of initial conditions and do not result in eternal acceleration.

astro-ph↗
arXiv2001

Galactic Magnetic Fields as a consequence of Inflation

The generation of a magnetic field in the Early Universe is considered, due to the gravitational production of the Z-boson field during inflation. Scaled to the epoch of galaxy formation this magnetic field suffices to trigger the galactic dynamo and explain the observed galactic magnetic fields. The mechanism is independent of the inflationary model.

astro-ph↗
arXiv2000

Large-Scale Primordial Magnetic Fields from Inflation and Preheating

We consider models in which the (transverse) photon mass is non-zero during inflation and drops to zero non-adiabatically at the end of inflation. Through this process, vacuum fluctuations of the photon field are converted into physical, long-wavelength modes with high amplitude. The resulting spectrum of the field strength is approximately B_l ~ 1/l, where l is the relevant coherence scale. With a reasonable model of field evolution we obtain, on comoving galactic scales, a magnetic field strong enough to seed a dynamo mechanism and generate the observed galactic magnetic fields.

astro-ph↗
arXiv2000

Primordial Spectrum of Gauge Fields from Inflation

We show that conformal invariance of gauge fields is naturally broken in inflation, having as a consequence amplification of gauge fields. The resulting spectrum of the field strength is approximately B_L ~ L^(-1), where L is the relevant coherence scale. One realisation of our scenario is scalar electrodynamics with a scalar whose mass is large enough to evade observational constraints - the obvious candidates being supersymmetric partners of the standard-model fermions. Our mechanism also leads naturally to amplification of the standard-model Z-boson field due to its coupling to the electroweak Higgs field. At preheating, the spectrum of the Z field is transferred to the hypercharge field, which remains frozen in the plasma and is converted into a magnetic field at the electroweak phase transition. With a reasonable model of field evolution one obtains a magnetic field strength of the order of $10^{-29}$ Gauss on a scale of 100 pc, the size of the largest turbulent eddy in a virialised galaxy. Resonant amplification in preheating can lead to primordial fields as large as $10^{-24}$ Gauss, consistent with the seed field required for the galactic dynamo mechanism.

astro-ph↗
arXiv1997

Primordial Magnetic Fields from Superconducting Cosmic Strings

Cosmic strings are stable topological defects that may have been created at a phase transition in the early universe. It is a growing belief that, for a wide range of theoretical models, such strings may be superconducting and carry substantial currents which have important astrophysical and cosmological effects. This paper explores the possibility of generation of a primordial magnetic field by a network of charged-current carrying cosmic strings. The field is created by vorticity, generated in the primordial plasma due to the strings' motion and gravitational pull. In the case of superconducting strings formed at the breaking of grand unification, it is found that strong magnetic fields of high coherence can be generated in that way. Such fields could account for the observed galactic and intergalactic magnetic fields since they suffice to seed magnetic dynamos on galactic scales.

hep-ph↗
arXiv1997

Friction Domination with Superconducting Strings

We investigate the evolution of a superconducting string network with arbitrary, constant string current in the friction dominated regime. In the absence of an external magnetic field the network always reaches a scaling solution. However, for string current stronger than a critical value, it is different than the usual, horizon-scaling of the non-superconducting string case. In this case the friction domination era never ends. Whilst the superconducting string network can be much denser than usually assumed, it can never dominate the universe energy density. It can, however, influence the cosmic microwave background radiation and the formation of large scale structure. When embedded in a primordial magnetic field of sufficient strength, the network never reaches scaling and, thus, eventually dominates the universe evolution.

hep-ph↗