On the One Loop Corrections to Inflation II: The Consistency Relation

TL;DR

This paper extends previous work on one-loop quantum corrections in inflation, showing they can significantly affect the tensor-to-scalar consistency relation, with effects up to 70% in simple models.

Contribution

It generalizes the calculation of one-loop corrections to arbitrary inflationary potentials and explores their impact on the consistency relation.

Findings

Loop corrections depend on total e-foldings.

Effects can reach up to 70% in quadratic inflation.

Discussion of physical interpretation and relation to Weinberg's work.

Abstract

In this paper we extend our previous treatment of the one-loop corrections to inflation. Previously we calculated the one-loop corrections to the background and the two-point correlation function of inflaton fluctuations in a specific model of chaotic inflation. We showed that the loop corrections depend on the total number of e-foldings and estimated that the effect could be as large as a few percent in a lambda-phi-four model of chaotic inflation. In the present paper we generalize the calculations to general inflationary potentials. We find that effect can be as large as 70% in the simplest model of chaotic inflation with a quadratic inflationary potential. We discuss the physical interpretation of the effect in terms of the tensor-to-scalar consistency relation. Finally, we discuss the relation to the work of Weinberg on quantum contributions to cosmological correlators.