Related papers: Topological String Defect Formation During the Chi…
We develop velocity-dependent models describing the evolution of string networks that involve several types of interacting strings, each with a different tension. These incorporate the formation of Y-type junctions with links stretching…
We study topologically stable defect structures in systems where the defect line classification in three dimensions and associated algebra of interactions (the fundamental group) are governed by the non-Abelian 8-element group, the…
We show how conformal field theory topological defects can relate solutions of open string field theory for different boundary conditions. To this end we generalize the results of Graham and Watts to include the action of defects on…
A favored scenario for axions to be dark matter is for them to form a cosmic string network that subsequently decays, allowing for a tight link between the axion mass and relic abundance. We discuss an example in which the axion is…
As a hypothetical topological defect in the geometry of spacetime, vortex strings play a crucial role in shaping the clusters of galaxies that exist today, and their distinct features can provide observable clues about the early universe's…
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 continue our study of the large N phase transition in q-deformed Yang-Mills theory on the sphere and its role in connecting topological strings to black hole entropy. We study in detail the chiral theory defined in terms of uncoupled…
Electroweak baryogenesis has become a topic of much recent activity [1]. Here we discuss a new scenario which has the advantage of being insensitive to the order of the electroweak phase transition. We briefly review a mechanism [2] using…
We present theoretical and experimental results probing the rich topological structure of arbitrarily disordered finite tight binding Hamiltonians with chiral symmetry. We extend the known classification by considering the topological…
We investigate the space-time picture of string evolution and hadron production in a fully string-based model for high energy collisions involving heavy ions. We find that although the density strings is quite large at the time of…
Electron energy bands of crystalline solids generically exhibit degeneracies called band-structure nodes. Here, we introduce non-Abelian topological charges that characterize line nodes inside the momentum space of crystalline metals with…
Topological defects can naturally be formed soon after bubble nucleation in the open inflation scenario. The defects are not completely diluted away by the subsequent period of inflation in the bubble interior and can produce observable…
The intersection of string theory with cosmology is unavoidable in the early universe, and its exploration may shine light on both fields. In this thesis, three papers at this intersection are presented and reviewed, with the aim of…
We ask which topological phases can and cannot be realized by exactly soluble string-net models. We answer this question for the simplest class of topological phases, namely those with abelian braiding statistics. Specifically, we find that…
Global topological defects produce nonzero stress-energy throughout spacetime, and as a result can have observable gravitational influence on surrounding matter. Gravitational effects of global strings are used to place bounds on their…
We develop the topological band theory for systems described by non-Hermitian Hamiltonians, whose energy spectra are generally complex. After generalizing the notion of gapped band structures to the non-Hermitian case, we classify "gapped"…
We describe a numerical simulation of the evolution of an $S_3$ cosmic string network which takes fully into account the non-commutative nature of the cosmic string fluxes and the topological obstructions which hinder strings from moving…
Chirality manifests across multiple scales, yielding unique phenomena that break mirror symmetry. In chiral materials, unexpectedly large spin-filtering or photogalvanic effects have been observed even in materials composed of light…
Axion strings are horizon-size topological defects that may be produced in the early Universe. Ultra-light axion-like particles may form strings that persist to temperatures below that of big bang nucleosynthesis. Such strings have been…
Topological defects form at cosmological phase transitions by the Kibble mechanism, with cosmic strings and superstrings having the most interesting phenomenology. A rigorous analysis of their astrophysical consequences is limited by the…