Inflationary tensor fossils in large-scale structure

TL;DR

This paper explores how inflation models predict specific tensor-scalar correlations that could lead to observable anisotropies and fossils in large-scale structure, testing model consistency and potential detectability.

Contribution

It reviews inflation model conditions for tensor-scalar correlations, tests examples like non-attractor and solid inflation, and predicts observable signatures in large-scale structure.

Findings

Non-attractor inflation predicts a local quadrupolar anisotropy that diminishes at smaller scales.

Solid inflation can produce detectable clustering fossils in galaxy surveys.

Consistency conditions are violated in solid inflation, providing distinctive observational signatures.

Abstract

Inflation models make specific predictions for a tensor-scalar-scalar three-point correlation, or bispectrum, between one gravitational-wave (tensor) mode and two density-perturbation (scalar) modes. This tensor-scalar-scalar correlation leads to a local power quadrupole, an apparent departure from statistical isotropy in our Universe, as well as characteristic four-point correlations in the current mass distribution in the Universe. So far, the predictions for these observables have been worked out only for single-clock models in which certain consistency conditions between the tensor-scalar-scalar correlation and tensor and scalar power spectra are satisfied. Here we review the requirements on inflation models for these consistency conditions to be satisfied. We then consider several examples of inflation models, such as non-attractor and solid inflation models, in which these conditions are put to the test. In solid inflation the simplest consistency conditions are already violated whilst in the non-attractor model we find that, contrary to the standard scenario, the tensor-scalar-scalar correlator probes directly relevant model-dependent information. We work out the predictions for observables in these models. For non-attractor inflation we find an apparent local quadrupolar departure from statistical isotropy in large-scale structure but that this power quadrupole decreases very rapidly at smaller scales. The consistency of the CMB quadrupole with statistical isotropy then constrains the distance scale that corresponds to the transition from the non-attractor to attractor phase of inflation to be larger than the currently observable horizon. Solid inflation predicts clustering fossils signatures in the current galaxy distribution that may be large enough to be detectable with forthcoming, and possibly even current, galaxy surveys.