Published October 15, 2006 | Version v1
Journal article

Can a vector field be responsible for the curvature perturbation in the Universe?

  • 1. Physics Department, Lancaster University (United Kingdom)

Description

I investigate the possibility that the observed curvature perturbation is due to a massive vector field. To avoid generating a large scale anisotropy the vector field is not taken to be driving inflation. Instead it is assumed to become important after inflation when it may dominate the Universe and imprint its perturbation spectrum before its decay, as in the curvaton scenario. It is found that, to generate a scale invariant spectrum of perturbations, the mass-squared of the vector field has to be negative and comparable to the Hubble scale during inflation. After inflation the mass-squared must become positive so that the vector field engages into oscillations. It is shown that such an oscillating vector field behaves as pressureless matter and does not lead to large scale anisotropy when it dominates the Universe. The possibility of realizing this scenario in supergravity is also outlined

Additional details

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Physical Review. D, Particles Fields
Journal Volume
74
Journal Issue
8
Journal Page Range
p. 083502-083502.9
ISSN
0556-2821
CODEN
PRVDAQ

INIS

Country of Publication
United States
Country of Input or Organization
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
INIS RN
38039193
Subject category
S72: PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS;
Descriptors DEI
ANISOTROPY; COSMOLOGY; DECAY; DISTURBANCES; ENERGY SPECTRA; OSCILLATIONS; REST MASS; SUPERGRAVITY; UNIVERSE; VECTOR FIELDS
Descriptors DEC
FIELD THEORIES; MASS; SPECTRA; UNIFIED-FIELD THEORIES

Optional Information

Notes
(c) 2006 The American Physical Society