Abstract
Combining the stochastic and $\delta N$ 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 comment on the physical implications of this effect.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 413 |
Number of pages | 20 |
Journal | The European Physical Journal C |
Volume | 75 |
Issue number | 9 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 15 Jun 2015 |
Keywords
- hep-th
- astro-ph.CO
- gr-qc
- hep-ph
- RCUK
- STFC
- ST/L005573/1