Can the Baryon Asymmetry Arise From Initial Conditions?
  In this letter, we quantify the challenge of explaining the baryon asymmetry
using initial conditions in a universe that undergoes inflation. Contrary to
lore, we find that such an explanation is possible if net $B-L$ number is
stored in a light bosonic field with hyper-Planckian initial displacement and a
delicately chosen field velocity prior to inflation. However, such a
construction may require extremely tuned coupling constants to ensure that this
asymmetry is viably communicated to the Standard Model after reheating; the
large field displacement required to overcome inflationary dilution must not
induce masses for Standard Model particles or generate dangerous washout
processes. While these features are inelegant, this counterexample nonetheless
shows that there is no theorem against such an explanation. We also comment on
potential observables in the double $\beta$-decay spectrum and on model
variations that may allow for more natural realizations.
