Solitonic Brane Inflation

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel brane inflation model based on multi-kink solitonic solutions in five dimensions, demonstrating inflationary behavior during brane dynamics and potential for ending via brane merger into a flat universe.

Contribution

It proposes a new inflation mechanism driven by multi-kink solitons in higher dimensions, extending the understanding of brane cosmology with a transitory inflationary phase.

Findings

Inflation occurs when the distance between domain walls decreases.

The inflationary regime can end through brane merger into a single kink.

Any potential supporting a flat kink can support an inflationary multi-kink configuration.

Abstract

We present a new type of brane inflation motivated by multi-kink solitonic solutions of a scalar field in five dimensions. In the thin brane limit, we analyze a non-static configuration in which the distance between two parallel domain walls decreases. We show that the ensuing spacetime is inflationary, both on the branes, and, for certain potentials, in the bulk. We argue that this inflationary regime is transitory and can end via a brane merger into a single kink solution - a flat, thick brane RS2 universe. This scenario is quite general; we show that any potential which supports a single flat kink solution is also likely to support an inflationary multi-kink configuration.