Gravitational wave background from non-Abelian reheating after axion-like inflation
Publisher DOI
Abstract
A pseudoscalar inflaton φ, coupled to the topological charge density Ftilde F of a non-Abelian sector, can decay to gauge bosons (φ ⟶ gg), which may thermalize rapidly. The friction felt by φ is then increased by non-Abelian "strong sphalerons", leading to a self-amplifying process that can efficiently heat up the medium. We determine a lower bound for the gravitational wave production rate from such a process, originating via hydrodynamic fluctuations and particle collisions, in terms of a minimal number of parameters. Only a moderate fraction of energy density is converted to gravitational waves, suggesting that non-Abelian models may avoid the overproduction observed in some Abelian cases.
Date Issued
2022
Publication Type
Article
Subject(s)
Language(s)
en
Author(s)
Journal
Journal of cosmology and astroparticle physics
Publisher
Institute of Physics Publishing IOP
ISSN
1475-7516
Access(Rights)
open.access