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We study the realistic structure of F-term Nambu-Goto cosmic strings forming in a general supersymmetric Grand Unified Theory implementation, assuming standard hybrid inflation. Examining the symmetry breaking of the unification gauge group down to the Standard Model, we discuss the minimal field content necessary to describe abelian cosmic strings appearing at the end of inflation. We find that several fields will condense in most theories, questioning the plausible occurrence of associated currents (bosonic and fermionic). We perturbatively evaluate the modification of their energy per unit length due to the condensates. We provide a criterion for comparing the usual abelian Higgs approximation used in cosmology to realistic situations.
We study the bosonic structure of $F$-term Nambu-Goto cosmic strings forming in a realistic SO(10) implementation, assuming standard hybrid inflation. We describe the supersymmetric grand unified theory, and its spontaneous symmetry breaking scheme in parallel with the inflationary process. We also write the explicit tensor formulation of its scalar sector, focusing on the sub-representations singlet under the standard model, which is sufficient to describe the string structure. We then introduce an ansatz for abelian cosmic strings, discussing in details the hypothesis, and write down the field equations and boundary conditions. Finally, after doing a perturbative study of the model, we present and discuss the results obtained with numerical solutions of the string structure.
In this paper we will utilize the non-trivial shapes of the strings in order to come up with realistic definition of probability amplitudes in a lot more natural way than could be done in point particle counterpart. We then go on to translate GRW model to string theory context. In this paper we limit ourselves to boson-only toy model without D-branes.
We consider strings with the Nambu action as extremal surfaces in a given space-time, thus, we ignore their back reaction. Especially, we look for strings sharing one symmetry with the underlying space-time. If this is a non-null symmetry, the problem of determining the motion of the string can be dimensionally reduced. We get exact solutions for the following cases: straight and circle-like strings in a Friedmann background, straight strings in an anisotropic Kasner background, different types of strings in the metric of a gravitational wave. The solutions will be discussed.
We investigate the stability of the electroweak Z-string at high temperatures. Our results show that while finite temperature corrections can improve the stability of the Z-string, their effect is not strong enough to stabilize the Z-string in the standard electroweak model. Consequently, the Z-string will be unstable even under the conditions present during the electroweak phase transition. We then consider phenomenologically viable models based on the gauge group $SU(2)_L times SU(2)_R times U(1)_{B-L}$ and show that metastable strings exist and are stable to small perturbations for a large region of the parameter space for these models. We also show that these strings are superconducting with bosonic charge carriers. The string superconductivity may be able to stabilize segments and loops against dynamical contraction. Possible implications of these strings for cosmology are discussed.
Spin networks, the quantum states of discrete geometry in loop quantum gravity, are directed graphs whose links are labeled by irreducible representations of SU(2), or spins. Cosmic strings are 1-dimensional topological defects carrying distributional curvature in an otherwise flat spacetime. In this paper we prove that the classical phase space of spin networks coupled to cosmic strings may obtained as a straightforward discretization of general relativity in 3+1 spacetime dimensions. We decompose the continuous spatial geometry into 3-dimensional cells, which are dual to a spin network graph in a unique and well-defined way. Assuming that the geometry may only be probed by holonomies (or Wilson loops) located on the spin network, we truncate the geometry such that the cells become flat and the curvature is concentrated at the edges of the cells, which we then interpret as a network of cosmic strings. The discrete phase space thus describes a spin network coupled to cosmic strings. This work proves that the relation between gravity and spin networks exists not only at the quantum level, but already at the classical level. Two appendices provide detailed derivations of the Ashtekar formulation of gravity as a Yang-Mills theory and the distributional geometry of cosmic strings in this formulation.