Gravitational Waves from Superconducting Cosmic Strings
arXiv:2607.25317
The authors simulate superconducting cosmic‑string networks in a U(1)ₗₒcₐₗ × U(1)𝓰ₗₒbₐₗ field‑theoretic model, study how the coupling between the string‑forming and current‑carrying fields affects network evolution, and predict the resulting gravitational‑wave spectrum.
Abstract
We study the evolution of superconducting cosmic-string networks in a field-theoretic model using three-dimensional lattice field simulations in an expanding universe. The scalar field charged under forms cosmic strings, while the scalar field associated with acts as a current carrier and condenses in their vicinity. We investigate the evolution of the string network for several values of the coupling constant between the string-forming and current-carrier fields and estimate the gravitational-wave power spectrum sourced by the resulting superconducting cosmic-string network. We find that the spectral shape depends on the coupling constant: as the interaction strength increases, the spectrum is suppressed on small scales. This feature may be probed by future high-frequency gravitational-wave observations.
14 pages, 9 figures