Introduction to Inflationary Cosmology

Abstract

The early universe according to the big bang and the grand unified theories is discussed. The shortcomings of big bang are summarized together with their resolution by inflationary cosmology. Inflation, the subsequent oscillation and decay of the inflaton, and the resulting "reheating" of the universe are studied. The density perturbations produced by inflation and the temperature fluctuations of the cosmic background radiation are sketched. The hybrid inflationary model is described. Two "natural" extensions of this model which avoid the disaster encountered in its standard realization from the overproduction of monopoles are presented.

24 pages; uses svmult.cls; minor corrections; lectures given at the 7th Hellenic School and Workshops on Elementary Particle Physics, 31 August-13 September 2001, Corfu, Greece (to appear in the proceedings)