Related papers: Cosmic Strings on the Lattice

We find solutions of Einstein's field equation for topologically stable strings associated with the breaking of a U(1) symmetry. Strings form in many GUTs and are expected whenever the homotopy group $\Pi_1(M_0)$ is non-trivial. The…

Cosmic strings are considered in two types of gauged sigma models, which generalize the gravitating Abelian Higgs model. The two models differ by whether the U(1) kinetic term is of the Maxwell or Chern-Simons form. We obtain the…

Exactly soluble spin-$\frac{1}2$ models on three-dimensional lattices are proposed by generalizing Kitaev model on honeycomb lattice to three dimensions with proper periodic boundary conditions. The simplest example is spins on a diamond…

It has been pointed out that cosmic string solutions can exist in gauge field theories with broken symmetry even when $\pi _1(G/H)$ is trivial. The stability of such semilocal defects is not guaranteed by topology and depends on dynamical…

Pure gauge theories are rather different from theories with pure scalar and fermionic matter, especially in terms of the nature of excitations. For example, in scalar and fermionic theories, one can create ultra-local excitations. For a…

In this paper we present the results of numerical simulations intended to study the behavior of non-Abelian cosmic strings networks. In particular we are interested in discussing the variations in the asymptotic behavior of the system as we…

We show that stable local cosmic strings are a generic prediction of supersymmetric models where supersymmetry is broken at scales within a few orders of magnitude of the weak scale and is fed down to the observable sector by gauge…

Cosmic strings are topological defects possibly formed in the early Universe, which may be observable due to their gravitational effects on the cosmic microwave background radiation or gravitational wave experiments. To this effect it is…

We show that quantum systems of extended objects naturally give rise to a large class of exotic phases - namely topological phases. These phases occur when the extended objects, called ``string-nets'', become highly fluctuating and…

We study the structure of cosmic strings produced at the breaking of an anomalous U(1) gauge symmetry present in many superstring compactification models. We show that their coupling with the axion necessary in order to cancel the anomalies…

We investigate the implications of the nontrivial vacuum structure of little Higgs models. In particular, focusing on the littlest Higgs model, we demonstrate the existence of three types of topological defects. One is a global cosmic…

Cosmic strings can arise in hidden sector models with a spontaneously broken Abelian symmetry group. We have studied the couplings of the Standard Model fields to these so-called dark strings in the companion paper. Here we survey the…

A gravitational scenario is proposed where the euclidean action is invariant under the isotropic and homogeneous version of the euclidean {\it U(1)} group of local transformations of the scale factor and scalar matter field, interpreting…

We study the stability of superconducting strings in a U(1)_{local} x U(1)_{global} model coupled via a gauge field interaction term to U(1) Abelian-Higgs strings. The effect of the interaction on current stability is numerically…

In these lectures, I review the current status of cosmic strings and cosmic superstrings. I first discuss topological defects in the context of Grand Unified Theories, focusing in particular in cosmic strings arising as gauge theory…

We propose a model with a U(1)_A x U(1)_B gauge symmetry which contains topological strings carrying magnetic flux under each of the U(1)s. By calculating the tension of the first few low energy strings we show that bound states, containing…

Arguably the simplest model of a cosmological singularity in string theory, the Lorentzian orbifold $\Real^{1,1}/boost$ is known to lead to severe divergences in scattering amplitudes of untwisted states, indicating a large backreaction…

We study the existence of smooth topological solitons and black strings as locally-stable saddles of the Euclidean gravitational action of five dimensional Einstein-Maxwell theory. These objects live in the Kaluza-Klein background of four…

I present a new class of topological string theories, and discuss them in two dimensions as candidates for the string description of large-$N$ QCD. The starting point is a new class of topological sigma models, whose path integral is…

We study Abelian strings in a fixed de Sitter background. We find that the gauge and Higgs fields extend smoothly across the cosmological horizon and that the string solutions have oscillating scalar fields outside the cosmological horizon…