Observational tests of inflation

dc.creatorLiddle, Andrew R
dc.date1999-10-06
dc.date.accessioned2026-07-07T02:33:43Z
dc.date.available2026-07-07T02:33:43Z
dc.descriptionWe are on the verge of the first precision testing of the inflationary cosmology as a model for the origin of structure in the Universe. I review the key predictions of inflation which can be used as observational tests, in the sense of allowing inflation to be falsified. The most important prediction of this type is that the perturbations will cross inside the Hubble radius entirely in their growing mode, though nongaussianity can also provide critical tests. Spatial flatness and tensor perturbations may offer strong support to inflation, but cannot be used to exclude it. Finally, I discuss the extent to which observations will distinguish between inflation models, should the paradigm survive these key tests, in particular describing a technique for reconstruction of the inflaton potential which does not require the slow-roll approximation.
dc.description13 pages LaTeX file with 2 figures input with epsf. To appear, proceedings of `Inner Space, Outer Space II', Fermilab, May 1999
dc.identifierhttps://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/9910110
dc.identifierhttp://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/9910110
dc.identifier.urihttp://salesiana.dossiersoluciones.com/handle/123456789/14956
dc.subjectAstrophysics
dc.titleObservational tests of inflation
dc.typetext

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