• Accepted Paper

Suppressing extra-dimensional axion isocurvature dynamically

Gongjun Choi and Tony Gherghetta

Phys. Rev. D - Accepted 30 October, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/pbs4-gg4r

Abstract

Extra-dimensional QCD axion is well motivated by string compactifications and enjoys enhanced protection against quality-violating effects. If present during inflation, however, its quantum fluctuations generate isocurvature perturbations that strongly constrain the inflationary scale. We propose a dynamical suppression mechanism in warped five-dimensional models, where a radion-inflaton coupling sets the radion minimum at small inter-brane separation during inflation, temporarily enhancing the effective four-dimensional axion decay constant. After inflation, the radion minimum shifts to larger separation, restoring the standard QCD axion window. In a warped orbifold GUT with Goldberger-Wise stabilization, this mechanism can satisfy CMB isocurvature bounds while allowing substantially higher inflationary scales { (up to $H_{\rm inf}\sim10^{12}\,\mathrm{GeV}$ for fa≲2×1011GeV) compared to} conventional pre-inflationary axion cosmology.

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