Initial condition for new inflation in supergravity

TL;DR

This paper investigates how supergravity effects naturally set the initial conditions for new inflation by stabilizing the inflaton at the potential's maximum through gravitational interactions.

Contribution

It demonstrates that gravitationally suppressed interactions induce a mass term that dynamically stabilizes the inflaton at the local maximum, providing a natural initial condition for new inflation.

Findings

Inflaton acquires a mass of order Hubble parameter

Mass term stabilizes inflaton at potential maximum

Provides a natural initial condition for new inflation

Abstract

We study the initial value problem of new inflation models in the scheme of supergravity. We find that an inflaton generally acquires a mass of the order of the Hubble parameter via gravitationally suppressed interactions with particles in the thermal bath of the universe. This additional mass term stabilizes dynamically the inflaton at the local maximum of the potential, which offers the initial condition of new inflation.