العربية
中国
Français
Deutsch
Ελληνική
हिन्दी
Italiano
日本語
Português
Русский
EspañolINFLATON
The 'inflaton' is the generic name of the unidentified scalar field (and its associated particle) that may be responsible for an episode of inflation in the very early universe. According to inflation theory, the inflaton field provided the mechanism to drive a period of rapid expansion from 10−35 to 10−34 seconds after the initial expansion that formed the universe.
The inflaton field's lowest energy state may or may not be a zero energy state. This depends on the ''chosen'' potential energy density of the field. Prior to the expansion period, the inflaton field was at a higher energy state. Random quantum fluctuations triggered a phase transition whereby the inflaton field released its potential energy as matter and radiation as it settled to its lowest energy state. This action generated a repulsive force that drove the portion of the universe that is observable to us today to expand from approximately 10−50 metres in radius at 10−35 seconds to almost 1 metre in radius at 10−34 seconds.
The name 'inflaton' is not missing an 'i' in the last syllable. It is spelled that way in order to follow the convention of field names, such as photon field and gluon field, which end with "on".
Scientific American. April 26, 2004
★ Metric expansion of space
The inflaton field's lowest energy state may or may not be a zero energy state. This depends on the ''chosen'' potential energy density of the field. Prior to the expansion period, the inflaton field was at a higher energy state. Random quantum fluctuations triggered a phase transition whereby the inflaton field released its potential energy as matter and radiation as it settled to its lowest energy state. This action generated a repulsive force that drove the portion of the universe that is observable to us today to expand from approximately 10−50 metres in radius at 10−35 seconds to almost 1 metre in radius at 10−34 seconds.
The name 'inflaton' is not missing an 'i' in the last syllable. It is spelled that way in order to follow the convention of field names, such as photon field and gluon field, which end with "on".
| Contents |
| References |
| See also |
References
Scientific American. April 26, 2004
See also
★ Metric expansion of space
This article provided by Wikipedia. To edit the contents of this article, click here for original source.
psst.. try this: add to faves
