Revisiting stochastic inflation with perturbation theory

Abstract

A long-standing problem in primordial cosmology is to understand the precise relation between the stochastic formalism and standard perturbation theory for light scalar fields in inflationary spacetimes. A complete correspondence between the two frameworks has remained elusive, even for a single self-interacting spectator field on a fixed de Sitter background. In this Letter, we revisit the assumptions underlying the derivation of the Langevin and Fokker-Planck equations that form the basis of the stochastic approach. We show that the standard stochastic treatment is effectively equivalent to neglecting super-long-wavelength modes beyond the observable range described by these equations. Using perturbation theory, we quantify how these modes enter through virtual loop effects and demonstrate that, once treated consistently, they induce definite corrections to both the Langevin and Fokker-Planck equations.

Comments: 5 pp; v2: added more arguments supporting the conclusion, moved few things to the companion paper 2309.16474; v3: paper restructured for clearer presentation, conclusions unchanged. Added several references; v4: material reorganized and added discussion on quasi-de Sitter background. Fokker-Planck equation reorganized, corrections appear now solely in the drift. Conclusions unchanged