Cosmic-string evolution: A numerical simulation

Journal Article · Mon Jan 08 04:00:00 EST 1990 · Physical Review Letters; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.64.119· OSTI ID:7163633

Allen, B ^[1]; Shellard, E P.S. ^[2]

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1. Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Post Office Box 413, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201 (USA)
2. Center for Theoretical Physics, Laboratory for Nuclear Science Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 (USA)

A system of intercommuting cosmic strings is numerically evolved in a homogeneous radiation-dominated expanding universe. Further evidence for the existence of a scaling'' solution is presented, and results for the long-string energy density are given. Long strings exhibit significant small-scale structure---kinks and short-wavelength propagating modes. Net loop production is observed to be strongly peaked at scales considerably smaller than the horizon, and reasons for this severe fragmentation are briefly discussed. The new numerical techniques employed are also described.

• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76ER03069
• OSTI ID: 7163633
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters; (USA), Journal Name: Physical Review Letters; (USA) Vol. 64:2; ISSN PRLTA; ISSN 0031-9007
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640106* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Cosmology
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ALGORITHMS
COMPOSITE MODELS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
COSMOLOGY
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
ENERGY
EQUATIONS
EQUATIONS OF MOTION
EXTENDED PARTICLE MODEL
MATHEMATICAL LOGIC
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NUMERICAL SOLUTION
PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
PARTICLE MODELS
QUARK MODEL
SIMULATION
STRING MODELS
UNIVERSE