Post-Inflationary Evolution via Gravitation

TL;DR

This paper investigates non-local gravitational models that replicate quantum back-reaction effects during inflation, end inflation with oscillations, and naturally lead to a small positive cosmological constant consistent with observations.

Contribution

It introduces a specific class of non-local gravitational models that unify inflation ending, matter domination, and late-time acceleration within a single framework.

Findings

Models reproduce infrared quantum gravitational effects during inflation.

They predict a distinctive oscillatory phase ending inflation.

The models naturally generate a small positive cosmological constant.

Abstract

We study a class of non-local, purely gravitational models which have the correct structure to reproduce the leading infrared logarithms of quantum gravitational back-reaction during the inflationary regime. These models end inflation in a distinctive phase of oscillations with slight and short violations of the weak energy condition and should, when coupled to matter, lead to rapid reheating. By elaborating this class of models we exhibit one that has the same behaviour during inflation, goes quiescent until the onset of matter domination, and induces a small, positive cosmological constant of about the right size thereafter.