Winding Number Correlation Functions and Cosmic String Formation

Abstract

We develop winding number correlation functions that allow us to assess the role of field fluctuations on vortex formation in an Abelian gauge theory. We compute the behavior of these correlation functions in simple circumstances and show how fluctuations are important in the vicinity of the phase transition. We further show that, in our approximation, the emerging population of long/infinite string is produced by the classical dynamics of the fields alone, being essentially unaffected by field fluctuations.

Latex file, 27 pages. 8 figures, available in compressed form by anonymous ftp from ftp://euclid.tp.ph.ic.ac.uk/papers/94-5_39.fig Latex and postscript versions also available at http://euclid.tp.ph.ic.ac.uk/Papers/index.html

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• The Cosmological Kibble Mechanism in the Laboratory: String Formation in Liquid Crystals
• Dissipation via Particle Production in Scalar Field Theories
• Detailed Stability Analysis of Electroweak Strings
• Interactions between $U(1)$ Cosmic Strings: An Analytical Study
• On the Production of Flux Vortices and Magnetic Monopoles in Phase Transitions
• The Dynamics Of Vortex And Monopole Production By Quench Induced Phase Separation
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Cited by in corpus (3)

• Cosmic strings and their induced non-Gaussianities in the cosmic microwave background
• Non-Equilibrium Dynamics of a Quench-Induced Phase Transition and Topological Defect Formation
• Cosmic Strings and Quintessence