Related papers: Unconventional string-like singularities in flat s…
Talk given at the ``4th Hellenic School on Elementary Particle Physics", Corfu, 2-20 September 1992: The propagation of strings in cosmological space-time backgrounds is reviewed. We show the relation of a special class of cosmological…
The thin string limit of Cosmic Strings is investigated using a description in terms of Colombeau's theory of nonlinear generalised functions. It is shown that in this description the energy-momentum tensor has a well defined thin string…
We consider a local cosmic string described by the Abelian-Higgs model in the framework of scalar-tensor gravities. We find the metric of the cosmic string in the weak-field approximation. The propagation of particles and light is analysed…
We show that when considering a scalar field scattering in a gravitating cosmic string spacetime, the standard partial-wave approach's scattering amplitude is singular. In order to avoid the divergence caused by the spacetime asymptotically…
We study the null orbifold singularity in 2+1 d flat space higher spin theory as well as string theory. Using the Chern-Simons formulation of 2+1 d Einstein gravity, we first observe that despite the singular nature of this geometry, the…
String theory, as a theory containing quantum gravity, is usually thought to require more dimensions of spacetime than the usual 3+1. Here I argue on physical grounds that needing extra dimensions for strings may well be an artefact of…
As shown by Gott, a pair of straight cosmic strings moving in opposite directions, when they have suitable speed and impact parameter, produce closed timelike curves. I argue in this paper that there always is a not-so-frightening…
The gravitational strength of the central singularity in spherically symmetric space-times is investigated. Necessary conditions for the singularity to be gravitationally weak are derived and it is shown that these are violated in a wide…
In this article we present a theoretical construction of spacetimes with a thin shell that joins two different local cosmic string geometries. We study two types of global manifolds, one representing spacetimes with a thin shell surrounding…
Recent developments in observational cosmology call for understanding the nature of the cosmological singularity (CS). Our work proposes modelling the vicinity of CS by a time dependent orbifold (TDO). Our model makes sense if quantum…
Cosmic strings are topological defects thought to have formed early in the life of the universe. If such objects exist, a study of their interaction with black holes is of interest. The equations of motion of a cosmic string have the form…
We consider strings with the Nambu action as extremal surfaces in a given space-time, thus, we ignore their back reaction. Especially, we look for strings sharing one symmetry with the underlying space-time. If this is a non-null symmetry,…
There are a number of publications on relativistic objects dealing either with black holes or naked singularities in the center. Here we show that there exist static spherically symmetric solutions of Einstein equations with a strongly…
We discuss the singularities in the moduli space of string compactifications to six dimensions with $N=1$ supersymmetry. Such singularities arise from either massless particles or non-critical tensionless strings. The points with…
We study the behaviour of cosmic string networks in contracting universes, and discuss some of their possible consequences. We note that there is a fundamental time asymmetry between defect network evolution for an expanding universe and a…
String cosmology aims at providing a reliable description of the very early Universe in the regime where standard-model physics is no longer appropriate, and where we can safely apply the basic ingredients of superstring models such as…
We study the formation of cosmic strings by confining a stochastic magnetic field into flux tubes in a numerical simulation. We use overdamped evolution in a potential that is minimized when the flux through each face in the simulation…
We present a numerical solution of a stationary 5-dimensional spinning cosmic string in the Einstein-Yang-Mills (EYM) model, where the extra bulk coordinate $\psi$ is periodic. It turns out that when $g_{\psi\psi}$ approaches zero, i.e., a…
This paper considers closed-string states of type 2b superstring theory in which the whole string is localized at a single point in superspace. Correlation functions of these (scalar and pseudoscalar) states possess an infinite number of…
Supersymmetric solutions of supergravity theories, and consequently metrics with special holonomy, have played an important role in the development of string theory. We describe how a Lorentzian manifold is either completely reducible, and…