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Full-Text Articles in Physics
Probability Distributions Of The Scalar Potential, Candace Mathews
Probability Distributions Of The Scalar Potential, Candace Mathews
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
In the study of cosmological inflation, string theory and supersymmetry have motivated a wide range of possible inflationary models. These models can be parameterized by a scalar potential V, which is a function of N scalar fields, and determines cosmological parameters such as the vacuum stability and energy density. In principle, we can determine V through high energy physics, such as string theory. In practice, though we may not know the details of V we might have clues about a distribution of plausible V’s, which we can build statistics on to further analyze. The purpose of this thesis defense is …
Effective Computational Cosmology, Eva Nesbit
Effective Computational Cosmology, Eva Nesbit
Dissertations - ALL
Effective Field Theories (EFTs) provide a unique framework in which to attempt to answer outstanding questions in cosmology (and all field of physics, for that matter). This work investigates how the use of both EFTs and computational tools can help us to advance our knowledge of how the universe evolved and formed over time. Specifically, we review the successful EFT of Inflation, the EFT of Dark Energy (EFTDE), and introduce the EFT of Reheating as a generalized model of particle formation after inflation. In this way, we show how effective EFTs are at quantifying physical phenomenology at many different energy …
Production Of Cosmological Observables During The Inflationary Epoch, Cody Goolsby-Cole
Production Of Cosmological Observables During The Inflationary Epoch, Cody Goolsby-Cole
Doctoral Dissertations
This dissertation proposal explores the production of present day cosmological observables which might have been produced during the inflationary era. The first observable is the current net electric charge of our observable universe produced by charge fluctuations during inflation. Next, we examine the possibility of a signal in the primordial gravitational wave power spectrum produced by a scalar field with a time dependent mass. Finally, we examine primordial magnetic fields produced during inflation through the Ratra model coupling with the Schwinger effect.
Λcdm Cosmology + Chaotic Inflation, Peter A. Farago
Λcdm Cosmology + Chaotic Inflation, Peter A. Farago
Theses and Dissertations
ΛCDM cosmology is described in terms of general relativity and the Robertson-Walker metric. The evolution of the observable universe, currently dominated by dark energy (Λ) and cold dark matter (CDM), is presented in terms of its thermal history. CDM is extended to include an inflation epoch that accelerates the early expansion rate to near exponential levels. It is shown that inflation solves several problems in CDM and produces perturbations in the metric that lead to the observed anisotropies in the Cosmic Microwave Background and the formation of large scale cosmological structures. Various theories of inflation are explored. Predictions of inflation …