Expansion of Bubbles in Inflationary Universe

TL;DR

The paper demonstrates that particle production during bubble expansion in an inflationary universe prevents bubbles from expanding, challenging the viability of certain inflationary models involving bubble nucleation.

Contribution

It introduces a mechanism where particle production halts bubble expansion, providing a new perspective on the limitations of bubble-based inflationary models.

Findings

Particle production occurs during bubble expansion.

Nucleated bubbles cannot expand due to energy transfer to particles.

Implications for the viability of inflationary models with bubble nucleation.

Abstract

We show that particle production during the expansion of bubbles of true vacuum in the sea of false vacuum is possible and calculate the resulting rate. As a result the nucleated bubbles cannot expand due to the transfer of false vacuum energy to the created particles inside the bubbles. Therefore all the inflationary models dealing with the nucleation and expansion of the bubbles (including extended inflation) may not be viable.