Cosmic strings from supersymmetric flat directions
- Michigan Center for Theoretical Physics (MCTP), Physics Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 (United States)
- Physics Department, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, Illinois 60115 (United States)
Flat directions are a generic feature of the scalar potential in supersymmetric gauge field theories. They can arise, for example, from D-terms associated with an extra Abelian gauge symmetry. Even when supersymmetry is broken softly, there often remain directions in the scalar field space along which the potential is almost flat. Upon breaking a gauge symmetry along one of these almost-flat directions, cosmic strings may form. Relative to the standard cosmic string picture based on the Abelian Higgs model, these flat-direction cosmic strings have the extreme type-I properties of a thin gauge core surrounded by a much wider scalar field profile. We perform a comprehensive study of the microscopic, macroscopic, and observational characteristics of this class of strings. We find many differences from the standard string scenario, including stable higher winding-mode strings, the dynamical formation of higher mode strings from lower ones, and a resultant multitension scaling string network in the early universe. These strings are only moderately constrained by current observations, and their gravitational wave signatures may be detectable at future gravity wave detectors. Furthermore, there is the interesting but speculative prospect that the decays of cosmic string loops in the early universe could be a source of ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays or nonthermal dark matter. We also compare the observational signatures of flat-direction cosmic strings with those of ordinary cosmic strings as well as (p,q) cosmic strings motivated by superstring theory.
- OSTI ID:
- 21039116
- Journal Information:
- Physical Review. D, Particles Fields, Vol. 77, Issue 4; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.77.043528; (c) 2008 The American Physical Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0556-2821
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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