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Enhanced Gravitational Waves from Inflaton Oscillons
Kaloian D Lozanov1,2, Volodymyr Takhistov2,3,4
1Illinois Center for Advanced Studies of the Universe and Department of Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA.
Physical Review Letters
|May 19, 2023
Summary
Localized inflaton field excitations called oscillons can significantly enhance primordial gravitational wave (GW) spectra. These oscillon-induced GWs offer new tests for inflationary models, potentially detectable by future observatories.
Area of Science:
- Cosmology and Astrophysics
- Theoretical Physics
- Inflationary Cosmology
Background:
- Inflationary models predict a period of accelerated expansion in the early universe.
- This expansion can lead to the formation of localized, massive excitations of the inflaton field known as oscillons.
- Previous studies primarily focused on gravitational waves (GWs) from oscillon formation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of oscillon matter dominance and decay on the primordial gravitational wave spectrum.
- To explore oscillon-induced GWs as a novel probe for inflationary models.
- To determine the detectability of these GW signatures with next-generation observatories.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of second-order perturbations to model oscillon-induced GWs.
- Examination of oscillon matter dominance and subsequent rapid decay.
- Comparison of predicted GW frequencies with those from oscillon formation.
Main Results:
- Oscillon matter dominance and decay significantly enhance the primordial GW spectrum.
- Oscillon-induced GWs are distinct and potentially lower in frequency than previously studied GWs.
- Detectable GW signatures provide tests for inflationary models independent of cosmic microwave background radiation data.
- Specific models, like pure natural inflation, predict observable GWs with instruments such as the Einstein Telescope, Cosmic Explorer, and DECIGO.
Conclusions:
- Oscillon-induced gravitational waves offer a new and direct observational window into inflationary physics.
- These GW signatures can distinguish between various inflationary model classes, including monodromy, logarithmic, and natural inflation.
- Future GW observatories have the potential to detect these signals, providing crucial tests for early universe cosmology.
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