Finite volume effects for non-Gaussian multi-field inflationary models

Abstract

Models of multi-field inflation exhibiting primordial non-Gaussianity have recently been introduced. This is the case in particular if the fluctuations of a light field scalar field, transverse to the inflaton direction, with quartic coupling can be transferred to the metric fluctuations. So far in those calculations only the ensemble statistical properties have been considered. We explore here how finite volume effects could affect those properties. We show that the expected non-Gaussian properties survive at a similar level when the finite volume effects are taken into account and also find that they can skew the metric distribution even though the ensemble distribution is symmetric.