Inflationary non-Gaussianities in the most general second-order scalar-tensor theories

Antonio De Felice*, Shinji Tsujikawa

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

142 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

For very general scalar-field theories in which the equations of motion are at second order, we evaluate the three-point correlation function of primordial scalar perturbations generated during inflation. We show that the shape of non-Gaussianities is well approximated by the equilateral type. The equilateral nonlinear parameter fNLequil is derived on the quasi-de Sitter background, where the slow-variation parameters are much smaller than unity. We apply our formula for fNLequil to a number of single-field models of inflation-such as k-inflation, k-inflation with Galileon terms, potential-driven Galileon inflation, nonminimal coupling models (including field-derivative coupling models), and Gauss-Bonnet gravity.

Original languageEnglish
Article number083504
JournalPhysical Review D - Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology
Volume84
Issue number8
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2011 Oct 7
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Nuclear and High Energy Physics
  • Physics and Astronomy (miscellaneous)

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