Fluctuations and Bubble Dynamics in First-Order Phase Transitions
arXiv:hep-ph/9606476 · doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.55.582
Abstract
We numerically examine the effect of thermal fluctuations on a first-order phase transition in 2+1 dimensions. By focusing on the expansion of a single bubble we are able to calculate changes in the bubble wall's velocity as well as changes in its structure relative to the standard case where the bubble expands into a homogeneous background. Not only does the wall move faster, but the transition from the symmetric to the asymmetric phase is no longer smooth, even for a fairly strong transition. We discuss how these results affect the standard picture of electroweak baryogenesis.
Latex, 30 pages, 11 ps figures, short discussion added in conclusions and minor clarifications, accepted to Phys Rev D