Inflation and the Higgs Scalar

TL;DR

This paper reviews big bang cosmology and inflation, evaluates a scalar potential model solving key problems, and explores the Higgs field as a potential driver of inflation, with upcoming tests to validate predictions.

Contribution

It introduces a scalar potential inflation model that addresses fundamental issues and investigates the Higgs field as an inflation candidate.

Findings

The scalar potential model solves key inflation problems.

Predictions made by the model are soon testable.

The Higgs field could potentially drive inflation.

Abstract

This note makes a self-contained exposition of the basic facts of big bang cosmology as they relate to inflation. The fundamental problems with that model are then explored. A quartic scalar potential model of inflation is evaluated which provides the solution of those problems and makes predictions which will soon be definitively tested. The possibility that the recently discovered fundamental Higgs scalar field drives inflation is explored.