Gauge-flation Vs Chromo-Natural Inflation

Understand

Gauge-flation, non-Abelian gauge field inflation, which was introduced in arXiv:1102.1513 and analyzed more thoroughly in arXiv:1102.1932, is a model of inflation driven by non-Abelian gauge fields minimally coupled to Einstein gravity.

• In this model certain rotationally invariant combination of gauge fields play the role of inflaton.
• Recently, the chromo-natural inflation model was proposed arXiv:1202.2366 which besides the non-Abelian gauge fields also involve an axion field.
• In this short note we show that the model involving axions, indeed allows for various slow-roll trajectories for different values of its parameters: A specific trajectory discussed in arXiv:1202.2366 starts from a "small axion" region, while the trajectory considered in arXiv:1102.1513 corresponds to a "large axion" region.