On multifield inflation, adiabaticity, and the speed of sound of the curvature perturbations

Atal, V. (2016)

Doctoral Thesis

In this thesis we study some aspects of the very early Universe. We focus on the period of inflation, and show how the presence of many fields during this period can affect its low energy description. We focus on the predictions for the two and three point correlation functions of the curvature perturbations, in the case in which apart from the inflaton field there is a very heavy isocurvature field participating in the dynamics. We also treat briefly the case in which the isocurvature field is light, in particular applied to the case of so-called natural inflation.

• Inflation
• Cosmology

• All authors: Atal, V.
• Supervisor: Achúcarro, A.
• Co-supervisor: Palma, G.A.
• Committee: Baumann, D.D.; Fergusson, J.R.; Mataresse, S.; Eliel, E.R.; Schalm, K.E.
• Qualification: Doctor (dr.)
• Awarding Institution: LION, Faculty of Science, Leiden University
• Date: 2016-03-08
• Title of host publication: Casimir PhD Series
• ISBN (print): 9789085932499
• Name: 2016-5