Observing trans-Planckian ripples in the primordial power spectrum with future large scale structure probes

TL;DR

This paper explores the detectability of trans-Planckian ripples in the primordial power spectrum using future large-scale structure surveys, suggesting that upcoming data could reveal signatures of new physics at high energy scales.

Contribution

It demonstrates that future cosmological probes can detect trans-Planckian ripples in the primordial spectrum for certain inflationary parameters and physics scales.

Findings

Detection possible for epsilon > 0.001 with amplitude as low as 10^-4

LSST and FFTT surveys are particularly promising for detection

Observable signatures could indicate new physics near 0.2 M_Planck

Abstract

We revisit the issue of ripples in the primordial power spectra caused by trans-Planckian physics, and the potential for their detection by future cosmological probes. We find that for reasonably large values of the first slow-roll parameter epsilon (> 0.001), a positive detection of trans-Planckian ripples can be made even if the amplitude is as low as 10^-4. Data from the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) and the proposed future 21 cm survey with the Fast Fourier Transform Telescope (FFTT) will be particularly useful in this regard. If the scale of inflation is close to its present upper bound, a scale of new physics as high as 0.2 M_Planck could lead to observable signatures.