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Signatures of Multi-field Inflation in LISA

ORAL

Abstract

Unlike light, gravitational waves effectively propagate freely at all times. This will allow gravitational wave detectors like LISA to open a new, deeper window into the early universe. Cosmic inflation and other primordial dynamics could source a stochastic background of gravitational waves (SGWB) in the LISA band.

In this talk, I'll describe the known SGWB possibilities from two-field inflation, and discuss how adding a third field can change them.

The predicted stochastic backgrounds are sensitive to the path of the inflationary trajectory and the masses of the fields, and will provide new insights into the inflationary era even in the event of a non-detection.

Publication: Stochastic Gravitational Wave Backgrounds in LISA from Many-field Inflation (planned preprint/publication)

Presenters

  • Robert Rosati

    NASA, Marshall Space Flight Center

Authors

  • Vikas Aragam

    University of Texas at Austin

  • Sonia Paban

    University of Texas at Austin

  • Sébastien Renaux-Petel

    Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris, Sorbonne Univeristy

  • Robert Rosati

    NASA, Marshall Space Flight Center