Sachiko Kuroyanagi

Planck constraints on single-field inflation

We place observational constraints on slow-variation single-field inflationary models by carrying out the cosmological Monte Carlo simulation with the recent data of Planck combined with the WMAP large-angle polarization, baryon acoustic oscillations, and ACT/SPT temperature data. Our analysis covers a wide variety of models with second-order equations of motion-- including potential-driven slow-roll inflation, non-minimally coupled models, running kinetic couplings, Brans-Dicke theories, potential-driven Galileon inflation, field-derivative couplings to the Einstein tensor, and k-inflation. In the presence of running kinetic exponential couplings, covariant Galileon terms, and field-derivative couplings, the tensor-to-scalar ratio of the self-coupling potential gets smaller relative to that in standard slow-roll inflation, but the models lie outside the 68 % CL observational contour. We also show that k-inflation models can be tightly constrained by adding the bounds from the scalar non-Gaussianities. The small-field inflationary models with asymptotic flat Einstein-frame potentials in the regime phi >> M_{pl} generally fit the data very well. These include the models such as Kahler-moduli inflation, non-minimally coupled Higgs inflation, and inflation in Brans-Dicke theories in the presence of the potential V(phi)=3M^2 (phi-M_{pl})^2/4 with the Brans-Dicke parameter omega_{BD}

Gravitational wave signal from massive gravity

We discuss the detectability of gravitational waves with a time dependent mass contribution, by means of the stochastic gravitational wave observations. Such a mass term typically arises in the cosmological solutions of massive gravity theories. We conduct the analysis based on a general quadratic action, and thus the results apply universally to any massive gravity theories in which modification of general relativity appears primarily in the tensor modes. The primary manifestation of the modification in the gravitational wave spectrum is a sharp peak. The position and height of the peak carry information on the present value of the mass term, as well as the duration of the inflationary stage. We also discuss the detectability of such a gravitational wave signal using the future-planned gravitational wave observatories.

Prospects for determination of thermal history after inflation with future gravitational wave detectors

Thermal history of the Universe between inflation and big-bang nucleosynthesis has not yet been revealed observationally. It will be probed by the detection of primordial gravitational waves generated during inflation, which contain information on the reheating temperature as well as the equation of state of the Universe after inflation. Based on Fisher information formalism, we examine how accurately the tensor-to-scalar ratio and reheating temperature after inflation can be simultaneously determined with space-based gravitational wave detectors such as the DECI-hertz Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (DECIGO) and the Big-Bang Observer (BBO). We show that the reheating temperature is best determined if it is around 10^7 GeV for tensor-to-scalar ratio of around 0.1, and explore the detectable parameter space. We also find that equation of state of the early Universe can be also determined accurately enough to distinguish different equation-of-state parameters if the inflationary gravitational waves are successfully detected. Thus future gravitational wave detectors provide a unique and promising opportunity to reveal the thermal history of the Universe around 10^7 GeV.

Forecast constraints on cosmic string parameters from gravitational wave direct detection experiments

Gravitational waves (GWs) are one of the key signatures of cosmic strings. If GWs from cosmic strings are detected in future experiments, not only their existence can be confirmed but also their properties might be probed. In this paper, we study the determination of cosmic string parameters through direct detection of GW signatures in future ground-based GW experiments. We consider two types of GWs, bursts and the stochastic GW background, which provide us with different information about cosmic string properties. Performing the Fisher matrix calculation on the cosmic string parameters, such as parameters governing the string tension Gµ and initial ˜

Strong Planck constraints on braneworld and non-commutative inflation

We place observational likelihood constraints on braneworld and non-commutative inflation for a number of inflaton potentials, using Planck, WMAP polarization and BAO data. Both braneworld and non-commutative scenarios of the kind considered here are lim- ited by the most recent data even more severely than standard general-relativity models. At more than 95% confidence level, the monomial potential V (φ) ∝ φ p is ruled out for p ≥ 2 in the Randall-Sundrum (RS) braneworld cosmology and, for p > 0, also in the high-curvature limit of the Gauss-Bonnet (GB) braneworld and in the infrared limit of non-commutative inflation, due to a large scalar spectral index. Some parameter values for natural inflation, small-varying inflaton models and Starobinsky inflation are allowed in all scenarios, although some tuning is required for natural inflation in a non-commutative spacetime.

Forecast constraints on cosmic strings from future CMB, pulsar timing, and gravitational wave direct detection experiments

We study future observational constraints on cosmic string parameters from various types of next-generation experiments: direct detection of gravitational waves (GWs), pulsar timing array, and the cosmic microwave background (CMB). We consider both GW burst and stochastic GW background searches by ground- and space-based interferometers as well as GW background detection in pulsar timing experiments. We also consider cosmic string contributions to the CMB temperature and polarization anisotropies. These different types of observations offer independent probes of cosmic strings and may enable us to investigate cosmic string properties if the signature is detected. In this paper, we evaluate the power of future experiments to constrain cosmic string parameters, such as the string tension Gmu, the initial loop size alpha, and the reconnection probability p, by performing Fisher information matrix calculations. We find that combining the information from the different types of observations breaks parameter degeneracies and provides more stringent constraints on the parameters. We also find future space-borne interferometers independently provide a highly precise determination of the parameters.

Implications of the B-mode Polarization Measurement for Direct Detection of Inflationary Gravitational Waves

The prospects for direct measurements of inflationary gravitational waves by next generation interferometric detectors inferred from the possible detection of B-mode polarization of the cosmic microwave background are studied. We compute the spectra of the gravitational wave background and the signal-to-noise ratios by two interferometric detectors (DECIGO and BBO) for large-field inflationary models in which the tensor-to-scalar ratio is greater than the order of 0.01. If the reheating temperature

Blue-tilted tensor spectrum and thermal history of the Universe

T_{\rm RH}

Early Universe Tomography with CMB and Gravitational Waves

of chaotic inflation with the quadratic potential is high (

New probe of dark-matter properties: gravitational waves from an intermediate-mass black hole embedded in a dark-matter minispike.

T_{\rm RH}>7.9\times10^6