Refining the multi-field effects of Higgs inflation

In this thesis, I investigated the extent to which the inclusion of multiple scalar fields in models of Higgs inflation produces observable departures from the single field case. I designed simulations to numerically solve the differential equations of motion in the Einstein frame governing the evolution of two nonminimally coupled fields in a quartic potential. Determining the behavior of the Hubble parameter, I found that successful inflation results in this model from a range of initial conditions. Based on calculations of the evolution of field perturbations by Courtney Peterson and Max Tegmark [6], the results suggest that the turn rate of the fields' combined velocity through field space has been sufficiently small since Hubble crossing that it may be excluded as a source of the amplification of perturbations in the Cosmic Microwave Background to their present size.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Physics.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2012

Author dc:creator

• Greenwood, Ross Norman

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• David I. Kaiser.

• Physics.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/78542

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/78542