Strong dynamics at the Planck scale as a solution to the cosmological moduli problem

Abstract

We argue that strong dynamics at the Planck scale can solve the cosmological moduli problem. We discuss its implications for inflation models, and find that a certain type of multi-field inflation model is required for this mechanism to work, since otherwise it would lead to the serious eta-problem. Combined with the inflaton-induced gravitino problem, we show that a chaotic inflation with a discrete symmetry naturally avoids both problems. Interestingly, the focus point supersymmetry is predicted when this mechanism is applied to the Polonyi model.

18 pages;v2: minor revision. Accepted for publication in JHEP