Non-Gaussian constraints on excited states in effective field theories of inflation
by
Jan Pieter van der Schaar(Amsterdam University)
→
Europe/Stockholm
132:028 (132:028 Nordita seminar room)
132:028
132:028 Nordita seminar room
Description
Deviations from the Bunch-Davies vacuum during an inflationary period can leave a testable imprint on the higher-order correlations of the CMB and large scale structures in the Universe.
After an introduction of non-Gaussian effects in inflation and a brief review of the motivations
for a modified vacuum state, I will present recent results for the leading vacuum state corrected non-Gaussian bispectrum in two cases of specific interest:
1) single-field inflation with a canonical kinetic term plus a specific higher derivative correction and
2) general single-field inflation in the limit of small sound speed. After projecting these results on the available
observational templates, the enhanced levels of non-Gaussianity are shown to result in relatively strong constraints on deviations from the Bunch-Davies state, with lots of room for improvement in the future.
