We reevaluate the predictions of inflation regarding primordial gravity waves, which should appear as $B$-modes in the cosmic microwave background (CMB), in light of the fact that the standard inflationary paradigm is unable to account for the transition from an initially symmetric state into a nonsymmetric outcome. We show that the incorporation of an element capable of explaining such a transition dramatically alters the prediction for the shape and size of the $B$-mode spectrum. In particular, we find that by adapting a realistic objective collapse model to the situation at hand, the $B$-mode spectrum becomes strongly suppressed with respect to the standard prediction. We conclude that the failure to detect $B$-modes in the CMB does not rule out the simplest inflationary models.

• Received 8 April 2017

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.96.101301