arXiv subjects

Koushik Dutta

Publications and source records attributed to Koushik Dutta.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2015

Curvature Singularity in f(R) Theories of Gravity

Although $f(R)$ modification of late time cosmology is successful in explaining present cosmic acceleration, it is difficult to satisfy the fifth-force constraint simultaneously. Even when the fifth-force constraint is satisfied, the effective scalar degree of freedom may move to a point (close to its potential minima) in the field space where the Ricci scalar diverges. We elucidate this point further with a specific example of $f(R)$ gravity that incorporates several viable $f(R)$ gravity models in the literature. In particular, we show that the nonlinear evolution of the scalar field in pressureless contracting dust can easily lead to the curvature singularity, making this theory unviable.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2015

Non-thermal Gravitino Production in Tribrid Inflation

We investigate non-thermal gravitino production after tribrid inflation in supergravity, which is a variant of supersymmetric hybrid inflation where three fields are involved in the inflationary model and where the inflaton field resides in the matter sector of the theory. In contrast to conventional supersymmetric hybrid inflation, where non-thermal gravitino production imposes severe constraints on the inflationary model, we find that the "non-thermal gravitino problem" is generically absent in models of tribrid inflation, mainly due to two effects: (i) With the inflaton in tribrid inflation (after inflation) being lighter than the waterfall field, the latter has a second decay channel with a much larger rate than for the decay into gravitinos. This reduces the branching ratio for the decay of the waterfall field into gravitinos. (ii) The inflaton generically decays later than the waterfall field, and does not produce gravitinos when it decays. This leads to a dilution of the gravitino population from the decays of the waterfall field. The combination of both effects generically leads to a strongly reduced gravitino production in tribrid inflation.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2015

Inflationary Constraints on Late Time Modulus Dominated Cosmology

We consider cosmological scenarios in which density perturbations are generated by the quantum fluctuations of the inflaton field at early times; the late time dynamics involves a modulus which first dominates the energy density of the universe and then decays to reheat the visible sector. By examining the evolution of energy density of the universe from the time of horizon exit of a pivot mode to the present day, and the fact that a modulus field decays via Planck suppressed interactions, we arrive at a relation which relates the mass of the modulus, inflationary observables/parameters and broad characteristics of the post inflationary reheating phase. When viewed together with generic expectations regarding reheating and the initial field displacement of the modulus after inflation, the relation gives a bound on the minimum mass of the modulus. For a large class of models, the bounds obtained (for the central values of Planck data) can be much stronger than the 'cosmological moduli problem' bound.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2014

Viable dark energy models using pseudo-Nambu-Goldstone bosons

A canonical pseudo-Nambu Goldstone Boson (pNGB) can play the role of a dark energy field responsible for present cosmic acceleration. Confronting with the recent cosmological data, we find that the pNGB field requires spontaneous symmetry breaking scale $f$ close to $M_P$ and the initial field value fine-tuned. It is difficult to achieve a large $f$ in a theoretically consistent set-up. A possible resolution can be achieved by increasing the Hubble friction in well motivated particle physics models in the general set-up of modified gravity theories. We show two phenomenological examples of this set-up where the standard pNGB action have been modified by introducing terms motivated from galileon cosmology. We confront those examples with the recent supernovae, PLANCK and BAO data. We find that moderate values of the dimensionless constants that increase the friction, make $f << M_{P}$ and the generic initial conditions also favourable by the data. We also comment how the fifth force constraints arising in these modified theories can be evaded.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2013

Validity of the kink approximation to the tunneling action

Coleman tunneling in a general scalar potential with two non-degenerate minima is known to have an approximation in terms of a piecewise linear triangular-shaped potential with sharp 'kinks' at the place of the local minima. This approximate potential has a regime where the existence of the bounce solution needs the scalar field to 'wait' for some amount of Euclidean time at one of the 'kinks'. We discuss under which conditions a kink approximation of locally smooth 'cap' regions provides a good estimate for the bounce action.

hep-th↗

arXiv2012

Cosmology of Horava-Lifshitz f(R) Gravity

We discuss the cosmology of recently proposed Horava-Lifshitz f(R) gravity. In particular, we derive the modified Hubble equation that reduces to the standard HL gravity case in appropriate limit. We show how the bounce solutions in this theory are modified due to nonlinear effect of f(R) gravity. We also show that in principle, the Universe in this set-up can show cyclic behavior.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2012

Combining High-scale Inflation with Low-energy SUSY

We propose a general scenario for moduli stabilization where low-energy supersymmetry can be accommodated with a high scale of inflation. The key ingredient is that the stabilization of the modulus field during and after inflation is not associated with a single, common scale, but relies on two different mechanisms. We illustrate this general scenario in a simple example, where during inflation the modulus is stabilized with a large mass by a Kahler potential coupling to the field which provides the inflationary vacuum energy via its F-term. After inflation, the modulus is stabilized, for instance, by a KKLT superpotential.

hep-th↗

arXiv2011

The Overshoot Problem in Inflation after Tunneling

We show the absence of the usual parametrically large overshoot problem of small-field inflation if initiated by a Coleman-De Luccia (CDL) tunneling transition from an earlier vacuum in the limit of small inflationary scale compared to the tunneling scale. For low-power monomial exit potentials $V(ϕ)\simϕ^n, n<4$, we derive an expression for the amount of overshoot. This is bounded from above by the width of the steep barrier traversed after emerging from tunneling and before reaching a slow-roll region of the potential. For $n\geq 4$ we show that overshooting is entirely absent. We extend this result through binomials to a general potential written as a series expansion, and to the case of arbitrary finite initial speed of the inflaton. This places the phase space of initial conditions for small-field and large-field inflation on the same footing in a landscape of string theory vacua populated via CDL tunneling.

hep-th↗

arXiv2011

An Exact Tunneling Solution in a Simple Realistic Landscape

We present an analytical solution for the tunneling process in a piecewise linear and quadratic potential which does not make use of the thin-wall approximation. A quadratic potential allows for smooth attachment of various slopes exiting into the final minimum of a realistic potential. Our tunneling solution thus serves as a realistic approximation to situations such as populating a landscape of slow-roll inflationary regions by tunneling, and it is valid for all regimes of the barrier parameters. We shortly comment on the inclusion of gravity.

hep-th↗

arXiv2011

Towards Matter Inflation in Heterotic String Theory

Recently, a class of inflation models in supergravity with gauge non-singlet matter fields as the inflaton has been proposed. It is based on a `tribrid' structure in the superpotential and on a Heisenberg symmetry for solving the eta-problem. We suggest that a generalization of this model class may be suitable for realising inflation in heterotic orbifold compactifications, where the Heisenberg symmetry is a property of the tree-level K"ahler potential of untwisted matter fields. We discuss moduli stabilization in this setup and propose a mechanism to stabilize the modulus associated to the inflaton, which respects the symmetry in the large radius limit. Inflation ends via a waterfall phase transition, as in hybrid inflation. We give conditions which have to be satisfied for realising inflation along these lines in the matter sector of heterotic orbifolds.

hep-th↗

arXiv2010

Gauge Non-Singlet Inflation in SUSY GUTs

We explore the novel possibility that the inflaton responsible for cosmological inflation is a gauge non-singlet in supersymmetric (SUSY) Grand Unified Theories (GUTs). For definiteness we consider SUSY hybrid inflation where we show that the scalar components of gauge non-singlet superfields, together with fields in conjugate representations, may form a D-flat direction suitable for inflation. We apply these ideas to SUSY models with an Abelian gauge group, a Pati-Salam gauge group and finally Grand Unified Theories based on SO(10) where the scalar components of the matter superfields in the $\sixteen$s may combine with a single $\bar {sixteen}$ to form the inflaton, with the right-handed sneutrino direction providing a possible viable trajectory for inflation. Assuming sneutrino inflation, we calculate the one-loop Coleman-Weinberg corrections and the two-loop corrections from gauge interactions giving rise to the "gauge η-problem" and show that both corrections do not spoil inflation, and the monopole problem can be resolved. The usual η-problem arising from supergravity may also be resolved using a Heisenberg symmetry.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2010

Likely values of the Higgs vev

We make an estimate of the likelihood function for the Higgs vacuum expectation value by imposing anthropic constraints on the existence of atoms while allowing the other parameters of the Standard Model to also be variable. We argue that the most important extra ingredients are the Yukawa couplings, and for the intrinsic distribution of Yukawa couplings we use the scale invariant distribution which is favored phenomenologically. The result is successful phenomenologically, favoring values close to the observed vev. We also discuss modifications that could change these conclusions. Our work supports the hypothesis that the anthropic constraints could be the origin of the small value of the Higgs vev.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2009

Chaotic Inflation in Supergravity with Heisenberg Symmetry

We propose the introduction of a Heisenberg symmetry of the Kahler potential to solve the problems with chaotic inflation in supergravity, as a viable alternative to the use of shift symmetry. The slope of the inflaton potential emerges from a small Heisenberg symmetry breaking term in the superpotential. The modulus field of the Heisenberg symmetry is stabilized and made heavy with the help of the large vacuum energy density during inflation. The observable predictions are indistinguishable from those of typical chaotic inflation models, however the form of the inflationary superpotential considered here may be interpreted in terms of sneutrino inflation arising from certain classes of string theory.

hep-th↗

arXiv2009

Tribrid Inflation in Supergravity

We propose a novel class of F-term hybrid inflation models in supergravity (SUGRA) where the $η$-problem is resolved using either a Heisenberg symmetry or a shift symmetry of the Kaehler potential. In addition to the inflaton and the waterfall field, this class (referred to as tribrid inflation) contains a third 'driving' field which contributes the large vacuum energy during inflation by its F-term. In contrast to the ''standard'' hybrid scenario, it has several attractive features due to the property of vanishing inflationary superpotential (W_inf=0) during inflation. While the symmetries of the Kaehler potential ensure a flat inflaton potential at tree-level, quantum corrections induced by symmetry breaking terms in the superpotential generate a slope of the potential and lead to a spectral tilt consistent with recent WMAP observations.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2009

SUGRA Hybrid Inflation with Shift Symmetry

We propose a solution to the eta-problem in supergravity (SUGRA) hybrid inflation using a Nambu-Goldstone-like shift symmetry within a new class of models. The flatness of the tree-level inflaton potential is ensured by shift symmetry invariance of the Kaehler potential, while a small symmetry breaking term in the superpotential gives rise to a slope of the potential at loop-level. In the proposed class of inflation models, potentially dangerous couplings between the inflaton and the moduli sector are avoided. We also discuss under which conditions the predicted spectral index can be in agreement with the best-fit-value of the latest WMAP observation n_s ~ 0.96, corresponding to a hilltop-type inflaton potential at loop-level.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2009

Non-isotropy in the CMB power spectrum in single field inflation

Contaldi et al. [1] have suggested that an initial period of kinetic energy domination in single field inflation may explain the lack of CMB power at large angular scales. We note that in this situation it is natural that there also be a spatial gradient in the initial value of the inflaton field, and that this can provide a spatial asymmetry in the observed CMB power spectrum, manifest at low multipoles. We investigate the nature of this asymmetry and comment on its relation to possible anomalies at low multipoles.

astro-ph↗

arXiv2009

Solving the $η$-Problem in Hybrid Inflation with Heisenberg Symmetry and Stabilized Modulus

We propose a class of models in which the $η$-problem of supersymmetric hybrid inflation is resolved using a Heisenberg symmetry, where the associated modulus field is stabilized and made heavy with the help of the large vacuum energy during inflation without any fine-tuning. The proposed class of models is well motivated both from string theory considerations, since it includes the commonly encountered case of no-scale supergravity Kaehler potential, and from the perspective of particle physics since a natural candidate for the inflaton in this class of models is the right-handed sneutrino which is massless during the inflationary epoch, and subsequently acquires a large mass at the end of inflation. We study a specific example motivated by sneutrino hybrid inflation with no-scale supergravity in some detail, and show that the spectral index may lie within the latest WMAP range, while the tensor-to-scalar ratio is very small.

hep-ph↗