On the viability of m2φ2 and natural inflation

In the context of single field inflation, models with a quadratic potential and models with a natural potential with subplanckian decay constant are in tension with the Planck data. We show that, when embedded in a two-field model with an additional super massive field, they can become consistent with observations. Our results follow if the inflaton is the phase of a complex field (or an angular variable) protected by a mildly broken U(1) symmetry, and the radial component, whose mass is much greater than the Hubble scale, is stabilized at subplanckian values. The presence of the super massive field, besides modifying the effective single field potential, causes a reduction in the speed of sound of the inflaton fluctuations, which drives the prediction for the primordial spectrum towards the allowed experimental values. We discuss these effects also for the linear potential, and show that this model increases its agreement with data as well.