TASI Lectures on Inflation
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TASI Lectures on Inflation Daniel Baumann Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA School of Natural Sciences, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, NJ 08540, USA Abstract In a series of five lectures I review inflationary cosmology. I begin with a description of the initial conditions problems of the Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW) cosmology and then explain how inflation, an early period of accelerated expansion, solves these problems. Next, I describe how infla- tion transforms microscopic quantum fluctuations into macroscopic seeds for cosmological structure formation. I present in full detail the famous calculation for the primordial spectra of scalar and tensor fluctuations. I then define the inverse problem of extracting information on the inflationary era from observations of cosmic microwave background fluctuations. The current observational ev- idence for inflation and opportunities for future tests of inflation are discussed. Finally, I review the challenge of relating inflation to fundamental physics by giving an account of inflation in string theory. Lecture 1: Classical Dynamics of Inflation The aim of this lecture is a first-principles introduction to the classical dynamics of inflationary cosmology. After a brief review of basic FRW cosmology we show that the conventional Big Bang theory leads to an initial conditions problem: the universe as we know it can only arise for very spe- cial and finely-tuned initial conditions. We then explain how inflation (an early period of accelerated expansion) solves this initial conditions problem and allows our universe to arise from generic initial conditions. We describe the necessary conditions for inflation and explain how inflation modifies the causal structure of spacetime to solve the Big Bang puzzles. Finally, we end this lecture with a discussion of the physical origin of the inflationary expansion. Lecture 2: Quantum Fluctuations during Inflation In this lecture we review the famous calculation of the primordial fluctuation spectra gener- ated by quantum fluctuations during inflation. We present the calculation in full detail and try to avoid `cheating' and approximations. After a brief review of fundamental aspects of cosmological perturbation theory, we first give a qualitative summary of the basic mechanism by which inflation converts microscopic quantum fluctuations into macroscopic seeds for cosmological structure forma- tion. As a pedagogical introduction to quantum field theory in curved spacetime we then review the quantization of the simple harmonic oscillator. We emphasize that a unique vacuum state is chosen by demanding that the vacuum is the minimum energy state. We then proceed by giving the 1 corresponding calculation for inflation. We calculate the power spectra of both scalar and tensor fluctuations. Lecture 3: Contact with Observations In this lecture we describe the inverse problem of extracting information on the inflationary perturbation spectra from observations of the cosmic microwave background and the large-scale structure. We define the precise relations between the gauge-invariant scalar and tensor power spec- tra computed in the previous lecture and the observed CMB anisotropies and galaxy power spectra. We give the transfer functions that relate the primordial fluctuations to the late-time observables. We then use these results to discuss the current observational evidence for inflation. Finally, we indicate opportunities for future tests of inflation. Lecture 4: Primordial Non-Gaussianity In this lecture we summarize key theoretical results in the study of primordial non-Gaussianity. Most results are stated without proof, but their significance for constraining the fundamental phys- ical origin of inflation is explained. After introducing the bispectrum as a basic diagnostic of non- Gaussian statistics, we show that its momentum dependence is a powerful probe of the inflationary action. Large non-Gaussianity can only arise if inflaton interactions are significant during inflation. In single-field slow-roll inflation non-Gaussianity is therefore predicted to be unobservably small, while it can be significant in models with multiple fields, higher-derivative interactions or non- standard initial states. Finally, we end the lecture with a discussion of the observational prospects for detecting or constraining primordial non-Gaussianity. Lecture 5: Inflation in String Theory We end this lecture series with a discussion of a slightly more advanced topic: inflation in string theory. We provide a pedagogical overview of the subject based on a recent review article with Liam McAllister. The central theme of the lecture is the sensitivity of inflation to Planck-scale physics, which we argue provides both the primary motivation and the central theoretical challenge for realizing inflation in string theory. We illustrate these issues through two case studies of inflationary scenarios in string theory: warped D-brane inflation and axion monodromy inflation. Finally, we indicate opportunities for future progress both theoretically and observationally. email: [email protected] November 15, 2019 2 Contents I Introduction9 1 The Microscopic Origin of Structure9 1.1 TASI 2009: The Physics of the Large and the Small ..................9 1.2 Structure and Evolution of the Universe......................... 10 1.3 The First 10−10 Seconds.................................. 12 2 Outline of the Lectures 12 II Lecture 1: Classical Dynamics of Inflation 15 3 Review: The Homogeneous Universe 15 3.1 FRW Spacetime....................................... 15 3.2 Kinematics: Conformal Time and Horizons....................... 16 3.3 Dynamics: Einstein Equations............................... 18 3.4 The Concordance Model.................................. 21 4 Big Bang Puzzles 22 4.1 The Cauchy Problem of the Universe........................... 22 4.2 Horizon Problem...................................... 23 4.3 Flatness Problem...................................... 23 4.4 On the Problem of Initial Conditions........................... 24 5 A First Look at Inflation 25 5.1 The Shrinking Hubble Sphere............................... 25 5.1.1 Comoving Horizon during Inflation........................ 25 5.1.2 Flatness Problem Revisited............................ 26 5.1.3 Horizon Problem Revisited............................ 26 5.2 Conditions for Inflation.................................. 26 5.3 Conformal Diagram of Inflation.............................. 27 6 The Physics of Inflation 28 6.1 Scalar Field Dynamics................................... 28 6.2 Slow-Roll Inflation..................................... 29 6.3 Case Study: m2φ2 Inflation................................ 31 6.4 Reheating.......................................... 32 6.5 Models of Inflation..................................... 32 6.5.1 Single-Field Slow-Roll Inflation.......................... 32 6.5.2 Beyond Single-Field Slow-Roll.......................... 34 7 Summary: Lecture 1 36 3 8 Problem Set: Lecture 1 37 III Lecture 2: Quantum Fluctuations during Inflation 39 9 Review: Cosmological Perturbations 39 9.1 Generalities......................................... 40 9.1.1 Linear Perturbations................................ 40 9.1.2 Gauge Choice.................................... 41 9.1.3 Scalars, Vectors and Tensors........................... 41 9.2 The Inhomogeneous Universe............................... 42 9.2.1 Metric Perturbations................................ 42 9.2.2 Matter Perturbations............................... 43 9.2.3 Gauge-Invariant Variables............................. 44 9.2.4 Superhorizon (Non-)Evolution.......................... 45 9.3 Statistics of Cosmological Perturbations......................... 45 10 Preview: The Quantum Origin of Structure 46 10.1 Quantum Zero-Point Fluctuations............................ 47 10.2 Horizon Exit and Re-Entry................................ 47 11 Quantum Mechanics of the Harmonic Oscillator 47 11.1 Action............................................ 48 11.2 Canonical Quantization.................................. 48 11.3 Non-Uniqueness of the Mode Functions......................... 49 11.4 Zero-Point Fluctuations in the Ground State...................... 50 12 Quantum Fluctuations in de Sitter Space 51 12.1 Summary of the Computational Strategy........................ 51 12.2 Scalar Perturbations.................................... 52 12.2.1 Free Field Action.................................. 52 12.2.2 Quantization.................................... 53 12.2.3 Boundary Conditions and Bunch-Davies Vacuum................ 53 12.2.4 Solution in de Sitter Space............................ 54 12.2.5 Power Spectrum in Quasi-de Sitter........................ 54 12.2.6 Spatially-Flat Gauge................................ 55 12.3 Tensor Perturbations.................................... 55 12.3.1 Action........................................ 56 12.3.2 Quantization.................................... 56 12.3.3 Power Spectrum.................................. 57 12.4 The Energy Scale of Inflation............................... 57 12.5 The Lyth Bound...................................... 57 4 13 Primordial Spectra 58 13.1 Scale-Dependence...................................... 58 13.2 Slow-Roll Results...................................... 59 13.3 Case Study: m2φ2 Inflation................................ 59 14 Summary: Lecture 2 60 15 Problem Set: Lecture 2 61 IV Lecture 3: Contact with Observations 63 16 Connecting Observations to the Early Universe 63 17 Review: The Cosmic