Speaker
Tom Rudelius
(Harvard University)
Description
Since the BICEP2 detection of B-mode polarization announced in March 2014, there has been a renewal of interest in models of large-field inflation. Axions have gained popularity in this regard, as they may provide a way to realize large-field inflation consistent with the principle of naturalness. However, recent work has revealed additional challenges facing axion inflation, which are linked remarkably to the problem of black hole remnants through the mysterious "Weak Gravity Conjecture." In this talk, I will present an introduction to this connection between black holes and axion inflation and discuss the prospects for overcoming these obstacles and realizing axion inflation in a manner consistent with quantum gravity.
Author
Tom Rudelius
(Harvard University)
