Some 25 years after the birth of inflationary cosmology, this volume sets out to provide both an authoritative and pedagogical introduction and review of the current state of the field. Readers learn about the arguments supporting the many different scenarios of cosmic inflation. Articles are written by eminent scientists, many of whom have made pioneering contributions to the field of inflationary cosmology.

InhaltsangabeInflationary Cosmology.- Preheating After Inflation.- Particle Physics Models of Inflation.- Inflation in String Theory.- Predictions in Eternal Inflation.- Inflationary Perturbations: The Cosmological Schwinger Effect.- The Numerical Treatment of Inflationary Models.- Multiple Field Inflation.- The Quest for Non-gaussianity.- Production of Topological Defects at the End of Inflation.- Conceptual Problems of Inflationary Cosmology and a New Approach to Cosmological Structure Formation.