title: A natural framework for chaotic inflation.
abstract: We show that inflation with a quadratic potential occurs naturally in theories where an axionlike field mixes with a 4-form. Such an axion is massive, with the mass which arises from the mixing being protected by the axion shift symmetry. The 4-form backgrounds break this symmetry spontaneously and comprise a minilandscape, where their fluxes can change by emission of membranes. Inflation can begin when the 4-form dominates the energy density. Eventually, this energy is reduced by membrane emission, and the axion can roll slowly towards its minimum, as in the simplest version of chaotic inflation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of California, Davis, California 95616, USA.
authors.forename: Nemanja
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kaloper
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sorbo