Reassessing the link between B-modes and inflation

TL;DR

This paper challenges the standard inflationary prediction of B-modes in the CMB by incorporating a collapse model, showing that B-modes may be suppressed, thus non-detection does not disprove inflation.

Contribution

It introduces a realistic collapse model into inflationary predictions, altering the expected B-mode spectrum and providing a new perspective on non-detection implications.

Findings

B-mode spectrum is strongly suppressed with collapse models.

Non-detection of B-modes does not rule out simple inflation.

Standard predictions are significantly affected by collapse mechanisms.

Abstract

We reevaluate the predictions of inflation regarding primordial gravity waves, which should appear as B-modes in the CMB, in light of the fact that the standard inflationary paradigm is unable to account for the transition from an initially symmetric state into a non-symmetric outcome. We show that the incorporation of an element capable of explaining such a transition dramatically alters the prediction for the shape and size of the B-mode spectrum. In particular, we find that by adapting a realistic objective collapse model to the situation at hand, the B-mode spectrum gets strongly suppressed with respect to the standard prediction. We conclude that the failure to detect B-modes in the CMB does not rule-out the simplest inflationary models.