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Inflation and the Standard Model: Higgs-R^2 Inflation Framework
Speaker
Dhong Yeon Cheong Yonsei University (Seoul, South Korea)
Abstract
Inflation is firmly established and a highly successful framework in early universe cosmology. Likewise, the Standard Model has achieved remarkable success, having undergone rigorous theoretical and experimental testing in the field of particle physics. In this talk I will highlight several works that discuss the interplay of these two concepts, mainly focusing on utilizing the Standard Model Higgs as the inflaton. I will start with the Higgs-R^2 inflation framework, emphasizing the motivation for having both the Standard Model Higgs and the R^2 term. The Standard Model Higgs running induces features in the inflationary potential in the form of a near-inflection-point potential or a tachyonic instability that develops depending on the specific parameter ranges. I will also explore the possibility of primordial black hole production and stochastic gravitational waves that arise from these features through an enhanced curvature perturbation, demonstrating that these can be explanations for dark matter and observational signatures that are accessible with future gravitational wave observatories.
Date and Time
Novermber 9 2023 4pm KST (= 7am UTC) Zoom link (active once the seminar starts)