Beyond the Starobinsky model after ACT
Abstract
We revisit higher order corrections to the Starobinsky inflationary model using the most recent P-ACT-LB-BK18 data, which exhibits a mild but definite tension with the predictions of the original model. Our results demonstrate how even small higher order deformations of the Ricci scalar (e.g. R 3 , R 4 , ⋅⋅⋅) can bring the model into better agreement with current data and impose nontrivial constraints on the post-inflationary dynamics.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Cosmology and Gravitation Theories
Black Holes and Theoretical Physics
Pulsars and Gravitational Waves Research
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Physics Letters B
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Volume
- 873
- Pages
- 140217–140217
- Publication date
- 28 January 2026
- Language
- EN