Correlation functions in stochastic inflation
Abstract
Combining the stochastic and formalisms, we derive non-perturbative analytical expressions for all correlation functions of scalar perturbations in single-field, slow-roll inflation. The standard, classical formulas are recovered as saddle-point limits of the full results. This yields a classicality criterion that shows that stochastic effects are small only if the potential is sub-Planckian and not too flat. The saddle-point approximation also provides an expansion scheme for calculating stochastic corrections to observable quantities perturbatively in this regime. In the opposite regime, we show that a strong suppression in the power spectrum is generically obtained, and we comment on the physical implications of this effect.
- Publication:
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European Physical Journal C
- Pub Date:
- September 2015
- DOI:
- 10.1140/epjc/s10052-015-3643-y
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1506.04732
- Bibcode:
- 2015EPJC...75..413V
- Keywords:
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- High Energy Physics - Theory;
- Astrophysics - Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics;
- General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology;
- High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
- E-Print:
- 20 pages plus appendix, 4 figures, published in EPJC, typo corrected in Eq. (3.37)