The first data-driven bounds on the quantum decoherence of inflationary gravitational waves (2511.14727v1)

Abstract: The (large-scale) structures we observe in the Universe are classical, but within the inflationary scenario they do originate from quantum fluctuations. This leads to the question: ''How did this quantum-to-classical transition occur?''. A potential explanation is quantum decoherence due to interactions between different fields present during inflation. The tensor modes (i.e. primordial gravitational waves) can interact with a scalar sector, causing their quantum decoherence to occur and inducing a change in the gravitational wave (GW) background. The power spectrum of these GWs can be constrained using the upper bounds found by Planck, BICEP/Keck Array, LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA, Big Bang Nucleosynthesis, and the Pulsar Timing Array detections. These impose constraints on the interaction between the fields. We find that the observational upper bounds mainly constrain scenarios with a strong interaction, especially if the interaction is also strongly time dependent. Furthermore, we find which observationally allowed scenarios have not completed decoherence by the end of inflation, thus possibly leaving quantum signatures in the GW background. Lastly, we show that, interestingly enough, there are decoherence scenarios corresponding to the signal observed by PTA experiments. This highlights the importance of the quantum decoherence effect on GWs.