Constraining scalar-Gauss-Bonnet inflation by reheating, unitarity, and Planck data

Abstract

We revisit the inflationary dynamics in detail for theories with Gauss-Bonnet gravity coupled to scalar functions, in light of the Planck data. Considering the chaotic inflationary scenario, we constrain the parameters of two models involving inflaton-Gauss-Bonnet coupling by current Planck data. For non zero inflaton-Gauss-Bonnet coupling $\beta$, an inflationary analysis provides us a big cosmologically viable region in the space of $(m,\beta)$, where $m$ is the mass of inflaton. However, we study further on constraining $\beta$ arising from reheating considerations and unitarity of tree-level amplitude involving we have studied the constraints on $\beta$ arising from reheating considerations and unitarity of tree level amplitude involving $2$ graviton $\rightarrow 2$ graviton ($h h\rightarrow hh$) scattering. Our analysis, particularly on reheating significantly reduces the parameter space of $(m,\beta)$ for all models. he quadratic Gauss-Bonnet coupling parameter turns out to be more strongly constrained than that of the linear coupling. For the linear Gauss-Bonnet coupling function, we obtain $\beta \lesssim 10^3$, with the condition $\beta (m/M_P)^2 \simeq 10^{-4}$. However, study of the Higgs inflation scenario in the presence of Gauss-Bonnet term turned out to be strongly disfavored.