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The European Physical Journal C
ISSN: 1434-6044 (printed version)
ISSN: 1434-6052 (electronic version)
Abstract Volume 5 Issue 2 (1998) pp 369-376
DOI 10.1007/s100529800842
theoretical physics:
The inflaton as dark matter
S. Barshay, G. Kreyerhoff
III. Physikalisches Institut A, RWTH Aachen, D-52056 Aachen, Germany
Received: 26 November 1997 / Revised version: 8 December 1997 / Published online: 24 March 1998
Abstract. Within the framework of an explicit dynamical model, in which we calculate the radiatively-corrected, tree-level potential that sets up inflation, we show that the inflaton can be a significant part of dark matter today. We exhibit potentials with both a maximum and a minimum. Using the calculated position of the potential minimum, and an estimate for fluctuations of the inflaton field in the early universe, we calculate a contribution to the matter energy density of $(1-2)\times 10^{-47}{\rm GeV}^4$ in the present universe, from cold inflatons with mass of about $6\times 10^9 {\rm GeV}$. We show that the inflaton might decay in a specific way, and we calculate a possible lifetime that is several orders of magnitude greater than the present age of the universe. Inflaton decay is related to an interaction which, together with a spontaneous breakdown of CP invariance at a cosmological energy scale, can give rise to a neutrino-antineutrino asymmetry just prior to the time of electroweak symmetry breaking.
Correspondence to:georg@physik.rwth-aachen.de
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Online publication: August 25, 1998
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