Stretching the inflaton potential with kinetic energy

Abstract

Inflation near a maximum of the potential is studied when nonlocal derivative operators are included in the inflaton Lagrangian. Such terms can impose additional sources of friction on the field. For an arbitrary spacetime geometry, these effects can be quantified in terms of a local field theory with a potential whose curvature around the turning point is strongly suppressed. This implies that a prolonged phase of slow-roll inflation can be achieved with potentials that are otherwise too steep to drive quasiexponential expansion. We illustrate this mechanism within the context of $p$-adic string theory.