TY  - JOUR
AU  - Agullo, I.
AU  - Navarro-Salas, J.
AU  - Olmo, G. J.
AU  - Parker, L.
PY  - 2010
DA  - 2010//
TI  - Revising the observable consequences of slow-roll inflation
T2  - Phys. Rev. D
JO  - Physical Review D
SP  - 043514
EP  - 14pp
VL  - 81
IS  - 4
PB  - Amer Physical Soc
AB  - We study the generation of primordial perturbations in a (single-field) slow-roll inflationary Universe. In momentum space, these (Gaussian) perturbations are characterized by a zero mean and a nonzero variance Delta(2) (k, t). However, in position space the variance diverges in the ultraviolet. The requirement of a finite variance in position space forces one to regularize Delta(2) (k, t). This can (and should) be achieved by proper renormalization in an expanding Universe in a unique way. This affects the predicted scalar and tensorial power spectra (evaluated when the modes acquire classical properties) for wavelengths that today are at observable scales. As a consequence, the imprint of slow-roll inflation on the cosmic microwave background anisotropies is significantly altered. We find a nontrivial change in the consistency condition that relates the tensor-to-scalar ratio r to the spectral indices. For instance, an exact scale-invariant tensorial power spectrum, n(t) = 0, is now compatible with a nonzero ratio r approximate to 0.12 +/- 0.06, which is forbidden by the standard prediction (r = -8n(t)). The influence of relic gravitational waves on the cosmic microwave background may soon come within the range of planned measurements, offering a nontrivial test of the new predictions.
SN  - 1550-7998
UR  - http://arxiv.org/abs/0911.0961
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.81.043514
DO  - 10.1103/PhysRevD.81.043514
LA  - English
N1  - ISI:000275898500028
ID  - Agullo_etal2010
ER  -