The present and future of the most favoured inflationary models after $Planck$ 2015

TL;DR

This paper assesses how future Cosmic Microwave Background observations, like the COrE mission, could distinguish between inflationary models by measuring parameters such as the tensor-to-scalar ratio and spectral runnings, improving current constraints.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed Fisher matrix analysis incorporating realistic foregrounds to evaluate the potential of future CMB experiments in constraining inflationary models.

Findings

Future observations could significantly improve constraints on spectral runnings.

COrE mission may rule out many favored inflationary models.

Enhanced parameter measurements will refine our understanding of inflation.

Abstract

The value of the tensor-to-scalar ratio $r$ in the region allowed by the latest $Planck$ 2015 measurements can be associated to a large variety of inflationary models. We discuss here the potential of future Cosmic Microwave Background cosmological observations in disentangling among the possible theoretical scenarios allowed by our analyses of current $Planck$ temperature and polarization data. Rather than focusing only on $r$, we focus as well on the running of the primordial power spectrum, $\alpha_s$ and the running of thereof, $\beta_s$. Our Fisher matrix method benefits from a detailed and realistic appraisal of the expected foregrounds. Future cosmological probes, as the COrE mission, may be able to reach an unprecedented accuracy in the extraction of $\beta_s$ and rule out the most favoured inflationary models.