Related papers: Formation of Topological Defects
We consider gauge vortices in symmetry breaking models with a non-canonical kinetic term. This work extends our previous study on global topological k-defects (hep-th/0608071), including a gauge field. The model consists of a scalar field…
We study a number of domain wall forming models where various types of defect junctions can exist. These illustrate some of the mechanisms that will determine the evolution of defect networks with junctions. Understanding these mechanisms…
Topological defects can have significant cosmological consequences, so their production must be examined carefully. It is usually assumed that topological defects are produced if the temperature becomes sufficiently high, but in reality…
Spontaneous symmetry breaking is a fundamental concept in many areas of physics, ranging from cosmology and particle physics to condensed matter. A prime example is the breaking of spatial translation symmetry, which underlies the formation…
We consider global topological defects in symmetry breaking models with a non-canonical kinetic term. Apart from a mass parameter entering the potential, one additional dimensional parameter arises in such models -- a ``kinetic'' mass. The…
Treating the gravitational field as a dynamical field, we study the spontaneous symmetry breaking induced by a scalar field under its self-interaction and non-minimal interaction with gravity in four dimensional space-time. In particular,…
Topological defects -- locations of local mismatch of order -- are a universal concept playing important roles in diverse systems studied in physics and beyond, including the universe, various condensed matter systems, and recently, even…
Cosmological inflation and topological defects have been considered for a long time, either in disagreement or in competition. On the one hand an inflationary era is required to solve the shortcomings of the hot big bang model, while on the…
Topological defects are distinctive signatures of liquid crystals. They profoundly affect the viscoelastic behavior of the fluid by constraining the orientational structure in a way that inevitably requires global changes not achievable…
Fractals are ubiquitous in the natural world, and their connection with phase transitions has been widely observed. This study investigates mechanisms of fractal formation from the perspective of phase transitions. A novel set of…
A cornerstone of the theory of phase transitions is the observation that many-body systems exhibiting a spontaneous symmetry breaking in the thermodynamic limit generally show extensive fluctuations of an order parameter in large but finite…
We shall use symmetry breaking as a tool to attack the problem of identifying the topology of chaotic scatteruing with more then two degrees of freedom. specifically we discuss the structure of the homoclinic/heteroclinic tangle and the…
We introduce the theoretical framework we use to study the bewildering variety of phases in condensed--matter physics. We emphasize the importance of the breaking of symmetries, and develop the idea of an order parameter through several…
In these lectures we review the constraints on particle physics models arising from cosmic defects. This includes constraints on theories where stable cosmic string loops, or vortons result. These can arise in supersymmetric theories. We…
Periodic boundary conditions are a common theoretical and computational tool used to emulate effectively infinite domains. However, two-dimensional periodic domains are topologically distinct from the infinite plane, eliciting the question:…
The problem of the spontaneous breaking of the symmetry in the crystals with variable composition is discussed. The character of the variation of the inhomogeneous superstructure depending on the substitutional atom concentration has been…
Semilocal defects are those formed in field theories with spontaneously broken symmetries, where the vacuum manifold $M$ is fibred by the action of the gauge group in a non-trivial way. Studied in this paper is the simplest such class of…
In the framework of the Closed-Time-Path formalism, we show how topological defects may arise in Quantum Field Theory as result of a localized (inhomogeneous) condensation of particles. We demonstrate our approach on two examples; kinks in…
We present a numerical study of a two-lane version of the stochastic non-equilibrium model known as the totally asymmetric simple exclusion process. For such a system with open boundaries, and suitably chosen values of externally-imposed…
An introduction to modern theories for the origin of structure in the Universe is given. After a brief review of the growth of cosmological perturbations in an expanding Universe and a summary of some important observational results, the…