Related papers: Semiglobal Alice Strings
In this paper, based on the gauge potential decomposition and the $\phi-$mapping theories, we study the topological structures and properties of the cosmic strings that arise in the Abelian-Higgs gauge theory in the zero-thickness limit.…
Local symmetries is one of the most successful themes in modern theoretical physics. Although they are usually associated to Lie algebras, a gradual increase of interest in more general situations where local symmetries are associated to…
In string theory, there are no continuous global symmetries. Discrete symmetries frequently appear, and these can often be understood as unbroken subgroups of larger, spontaneously broken gauge symmetries (discrete gauge symmetries). In…
Axions, periodic scalar fields coupled to gauge fields through the instanton density, have a rich variety of higher-form global symmetries. These include a two-form global symmetry, which measures the charge of axion strings. As we review,…
We report on a large scale numerical study of networks of semilocal cosmic strings in flat space in the parameter regime in which they are perturbatively stable. We find a population of segments with an exponential length distribution and…
A method for implementing non-Abelian duality on string backgrounds is given. It is shown that a direct generalisation of the familiar Abelian duality induces an extra local symmetry in the gauge invariant theory. The non-Abelian isometry…
Non-invertible symmetries in quantum field theory (QFT) generalize the familiar product rule of groups to a more general fusion rule. In many cases, gauged versions of these symmetries can be regarded as dual descriptions of invertible…
We present a brief discussion of recent work on duality symmetries in non-trivial string backgrounds. Duality is obtained from a gauged non-linear sigma-model with vanishing gauge field strength. Standard results are reproduced for abelian…
We analyze a SU(N) gauge theory on $\mathcal{M}_4 \times T^2$. We find and catalogue all possible degenerate zero-energy stable configurations in the case of trivial or non-trivial 't Hooft non abelian flux. We describe the residual…
Superstring theories are very promising theoretically, but the enormous landscape of string vacua and the (likely) very large underlying string scale imply that they may never be tested directly. Nevertheless, concrete constructions…
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…
A particular form of non-linear $\sigma$-model, having a global gauge invariance, is studied. The detailed discussion on current algebra structures reveals the non-abelian nature of the invariance, with {\it{field dependent structure…
In six dimensions, cancellation of gauge, gravitational, and mixed anomalies strongly constrains the set of quantum field theories which can be coupled consistently to gravity. We show that for some classes of six-dimensional supersymmetric…
In this talk I describe recent work (hep-th/9606029) in which I classified all conceivable 2+1 dimensional Chern-Simons (CS) theories with continuous compact abelian gauge group or finite abelian gauge group. The CS theories with finite…
We show the existence of solitonic solutions of five-dimensional supergravity, which can be interpreted as global cosmic strings in our universe. They possess the same mathematical structure as the stringy cosmic strings studied by Greene,…
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 explore the formation and the evolution of the string network in the Abelian Higgs model with two complex scalar fields. A special feature of the model is that it possesses a global $U(1)$ symmetry in addition to the $U(1)$ gauge…
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…
The space-time dimensions transverse to a static straight cosmic string with a sufficiently large tension (supermassive cosmic strings) are compact and typically have a singularity at a finite distance form the core. In this paper, we…
We study the cosmological constant problem in a three-dimensional N=2 supergravity theory with gauge group SU[2]_{global}xU[1]_{local}. The model we consider is known to admit string-like configurations, the so-called semi-local cosmic…