Université de GenèveDépartement de Physique ThéoriqueCAP Genève

Cosmological perturbations from the Standard Model Higgs

Date: 
8. August 2012
Cite as: 
A. De Simone and A. Riotto [arXiv:1208.1344].
Members involved: 
Summary: 

We propose that the Standard Model (SM) Higgs is responsible for generating the cosmological perturbations of the universe by acting as an isocurvature mode during a de Sitter inflationary stage. In view of the recent ATLAS and CMS results for the Higgs mass, this can happen if the Hubble rate during inflation is in the range $(10^{10}- 10^{14})$ GeV (depending on the SM parameters). Implications for the detection of primordial tensor perturbations through the $B$-mode of CMB polarization via the PLANCK satellite are discussed. For example, if the Higgs mass value is confirmed to be $m_h=125.5$ GeV and $m_t, \alpha_s$ are at their central values, our mechanism predicts tensor perturbations too small to be detected in the near future. On the other hand, if tensor perturbations will be detected by PLANCK through the $B$-mode of CMB, then there is a definite relation between the Higgs and top masses, making the mechanism predictive and falsifiable.

Address

Département de Physique Théorique
Université de Genève
24, quai Ernest Ansermet
1211 Genève 4
Switzerland
Directions & contact