Related papers: Lectures on Cosmic Topological Defects
We introduce a framework for internal topological symmetries in quantum field theory, including "noninvertible symmetries" and "categorical symmetries". This leads to a calculus of topological defects which takes full advantage of…
Current theories of particle physics lead to the unavoidable conclusion that there must have been several phase transitions in the early universe. Further, in the context of these theories, it is possible that cosmological phase transitions…
We construct supersymmetric K field theories (i.e., theories with a non-standard kinetic term) in 1+1 and 2+1 dimensions such that the bosonic sector just consists of a nonstandard kinetic term plus a potential. Further, we study the…
These lecture notes discuss several topics in the physics of cosmic structure formation starting from the evolution of small-amplitude fluctuations in the radiation-dominated era. The topics include relativistic cosmological perturbation…
We discuss the structure of topological defects in the context of extra dimensions where the symmetry breaking terms are localized. These defects develop structure in the extra dimension which differs from the case where symmetry breaking…
This paper reviews selected aspects of the growth of cosmological structure, covering the following general areas: (1) expected characteristics of linear density perturbations according to various candidate theories for the origin of…
The topic of cosmic strings provides a bridge between the physics of the very small and the very large. They are predicted by some unified theories of particle interactions. If they exist, they may help to explain some of the largest-scale…
We review a class of non-topological defects in the standard electroweak model, and their implications. Starting with the semilocal string, which provides a counterexample to many well known properties of topological vortices, we discuss…
We explore a variety of composite topological structures that arise from the spontaneous breaking of $SO(10)$ to $SU(3)_c \times U(1)_{em}$ via one of its maximal subgroups $SU(5) \times U(1)_\chi$, $SU(4)_c \times SU(2)_L \times SU(2)_R$,…
Topological defects are ubiquitous in physics. Whenever a symmetry breaking phase transition occurs, topological defects may form. The best known examples are vortex lines in type II super conductors or in liquid Helium, and declination…
A concise description is presented of the basic features of the formalism of non-canonical spacetime volume-forms and its application in modified gravity theories and cosmology. The well known unimodular gravity theory appears as a very…
This is a pedagogical introduction into the possible uses and effects of extra dimensions in electroweak (TeV scale) physics, and in particular to models of electroweak symmetry breaking via boundary conditions ("higgsless models"). It is…
Questions such as whether we live in a spatially finite universe, and what its shape and size may be, are among the fundamental open problems that high precision modern cosmology needs to resolve. These questions go beyond the scope of…
This talk reports a subset of the topics discussed at TAUP97. The topics are: nucleon decay, supermassive monopoles, Neutrino Astrophysics and Cosmic Ray Physics.
There has been recent interest in new types of topological defects arising in models with compact extra dimensions. We discuss in this context the old statement that if only SU(N) gauge fields and adjoint matter live in the bulk, and the…
In this work we review some features of topological defects in field theory models for real scalar fields. We investigate topological defects in models involving one and two or more real scalar fields. In models involving a single field we…
Whether we live in a spatially finite universe, and what its shape and size may be, are among the fundamental long-standing questions in cosmology. These questions of topological nature have become particularly topical, given the wealth of…
These lectures were addressed to nonspecialists willing to learn some basic facts, approaches, tools and observational evidence which conform modern cosmology. The aim is also to try to complement the many excellent treatises that exists on…
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…
These lectures contain a pedagogical review of non-perturbative results from holomorphy and Seiberg duality with applications to dynamical SUSY breaking. Background material on anomalies, instantons, unitarity bounds from superconformal…