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Dynamics of the Inflationary Flow Equations

Sirichai Chongchitnan, George Efstathiou

astro-pharXiv:astro-ph/0508355

Abstract

We present a dynamical analysis of the inflationary flow equations. Our technique uses the Hubble `jerk' parameter as a discriminant of stability of fixed points. The results of the analysis are used to explain qualitatively the distribution of various observable parameters (e.g. the tensor-scalar ratio, r, and scalar spectral index, ns) seen in numerical solutions of the flow equations using stochastic initial conditions. Finally, we give a physical interpretation of the flow in phase-space in terms of slow-roll motion of the inflaton.

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