Effects of inflation on a cosmic string loop population

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2007

Authors

Avelino, PP (Author) FCUP; Martins, CJAP (Author) FCUP; Shellard, EPS (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Physical Review D - Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology

Vol. 76 No. 10

ISSN: 1550-7998

Publisher: American Physical Society

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 7 Citations

Scopus - 6 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-004-7B7

DOI: 10.1103/physrevd.76.083510

Abstract (EN): We study the evolution of simple cosmic string loop solutions in an inflationary universe. We show, for the particular case of circular loops, that periodic solutions do exist in a de Sitter universe, below a critical loop radius R(c)H=1/2. On the other hand, larger loops freeze in comoving coordinates, and we explicitly show that they can survive more e-foldings of inflation than pointlike objects. We discuss the implications of these findings for the survival of realistic cosmic string loops during inflation and for the general characteristics of post-inflationary cosmic string networks. We also consider the analogous solutions for domain walls, in which case the critical radius is R(c)H=2/3.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 7