Title: Formation, gravitational clustering, and interactions of nonrelativistic solitons in an expanding universe

Abstract

We investigate the formation, gravitational clustering and interactions of solitons in a self-interacting, non-relativistic scalar field in an expanding universe. Rapid formation of large number of solitons is driven by attractive self-interactions of the field, whereas the slower clustering of solitons is driven by gravitational forces. Driven closer together by gravity, we see a rich plethora of dynamics in the soliton "gas" including mergers, scatterings and formation of soliton binaries. Here, the numerical simulations are complemented by analytic calculations and estimates of (i) the relevant instability length and time scales, (ii) individual soliton profiles and their stability, (iii) number density of produced solitons, and (iv) the two point correlation function of soliton positions as evidence for gravitational clustering.

Authors:

Amin, Mustafa A. ^[1]; Mocz, Philip ^[2]

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+ Show Author Affiliations

1. Rice Univ., Houston, TX (United States)
2. Princeton Univ., NJ (United States)

Publication Date:

2019-09-09

Research Org.:

Rice Univ., Houston, TX (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE Office of Science (SC); National Science Foundation (NSF)

OSTI Identifier:

1594812

Alternate Identifier(s):

OSTI ID: 1560778; OSTI ID: 1594813

Grant/Contract Number:  

SC0018216; PF7-180164; NAS8-03060; PHY-1607611

Resource Type:

Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:

Physical Review D

Additional Journal Information:

Journal Volume: 100; Journal Issue: 6; Journal ID: ISSN 2470-0010

Publisher:

American Physical Society (APS)

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS; Axions; Classical solutions in field theory; Dark matter; Inflation; Large scale structure of the Universe; Pattern formation