Chern-Simons inflation and baryogenesis

Stephon Alexander, Antonino Marcianò, David Spergel

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

35 Scopus citations

Abstract

We present a model of inflation based on the interaction between a homogeneous and isotropic configuration of a U(1) gauge field and fermionic charge density τ0. The regulated fermionic charge density is generated from a Bunch-Davies vacuum state using the methods of Koksma and Prokopec [11], and is found to redshift as 1/a(η). The time-like component of gauge field is sourced by the fermionic charge leading to a growth in the gauge field A(η)τ0 ∼ a(η). As a result inflation is dominated by the energy density contained in the gauge field and fermionic charge interaction, A0 τ0, which remains constant during inflation. We also provide a mechanism to generate a net lepton asymmetry. The coupling of a pseudo scalar to the Chern-Simons term converts the gauge field fluctuations into lepton number and all three Sahkarov conditions are satisfied during inflation. Finally, the rapid oscillation of the pseudo scalar field near its minimum thermalizes the gauge field and ends inflation. We provide the necessary initial condition on the gauge field and fermionic charge to simultaneously generate enough e-folds and baryon asymmetry index.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number046
JournalJournal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics
Volume2013
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 2013

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics

Keywords

  • cosmology of theories beyond the SM
  • ination
  • leptogenesis
  • physics of the early universe

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