Cosmological evolution of cosmic string loops

Christophe Ringeval
Louvain University, Belgium

Sils-Maria 30/03/2007

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Outline

Cosmic strings Formation Dynamics FLRW evolution Numerical simulations The lore cosmological model Scaling regime Loop evolution New numerical results The energetic approach Loop scaling regime Non-scaling loops Physics versus numerics IC memory Conclusion
CR, M. Sakellariadou and F. Bouchet: JCAP 0702:023 (2007)

Cosmic strings The lore cosmological model New numerical results Conclusion

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Formation in the early universe

From spontaneous symmetry breaking (phase transition)

x

Abelian Higgs model G = U (1) H = I

11 00 11 00 11 00

11 00 11 00 11 00 11 00 11 00 11 00

x
s

Non trivial rst homotopy group: 1 (G/H) I

Local symmetry conned elds

1 H

0.8

0.6

mh=1 mb=0.15

0.4 Q 0.2

10

20

30

40

Cosmic strings The lore cosmological model New numerical results Conclusion

Formation Dynamics FLRW evolution Numerical simulations

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Cosmic strings dynamics

s s

Innite thin strings: x = X ( a ), a {0, 1} Two-dimensional eective action

x
World sheet metric: ab = g X,a X,b

S=
x

L g d4 x =

Le d2

If no internal structure U (1)like strings: Nambu-Goto Le = M Sgn = U

2

d2

Equations of motion
x

Minkowski background: relativistic oscillations (transverse gauge) x x = 0

FLRW background: Hubble damping + energy redshift x + 2H 1 x2 x = 1

1

x2 1 x2

Cosmic strings The lore cosmological model New numerical results Conclusion

Formation Dynamics FLRW evolution Numerical simulations

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Network evolution: intercommutations

Between strings

A loop formation mechanism

Oscillating loops decays into gravitational waves: GU 2

Cosmic strings The lore cosmological model New numerical results Conclusion

(GU )q
Formation Dynamics FLRW evolution Numerical simulations

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Numerical simulations
s

Initial conditions: Vachaspati-Vilenkin ( random walk)

Nambu-Goto dynamics in FLRW + intercommutations matter era (100c ) radiation era (100c )

Cosmic strings The lore cosmological model New numerical results Conclusion

Formation Dynamics FLRW evolution Numerical simulations

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Scaling regime

Self-similar evolution of super-horizon sized strings UL U x Naively ring 2 strings domination? V a

x

No due to loops formation: /U 1/(a2 2 )

45 with loops 40

dh / U

35

30

Long strings only

25 10 20 /lc 30 40 50

Scaling: mat(rad) in the matter (radiation) era

x x

The whole network scales if loops decay (gw)

Common consensus on the long strings evolution d2 h = 28.4 0.9, U mat d2 h = 37.8 1.7 U rad

Cosmic strings The lore cosmological model New numerical results Conclusion

Scaling regime Loop evolution

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Loop evolution

Various results and proposals

x

Original Kibble model: Lloops inter-string distance

[Kibble 85]

FLRW simulations: network dominated by small loops

[Bennett 88, Allen 90, Albrecht 89]

Analytical models: three scales model, long string regeneration from loops. . . [Austin 93, Copeland 98, Polchinski 06] Minkowski simulations: loops are unresolved particle emissions? [Vincent 97, Vincent 98, Moore 02] Gravitational back-reaction: smallest size [Hindmarsh 90, Siemens 02] Lloops /t > g = (GU )q

Numerical investigations so far

x x

Field simulations: cannot resolve small loops Nambu-Goto simulations more appropriate (but no gw)
s

Loop number distribution does not scale: continuous creation of smaller loops Loop size related to network correlation lengths
Cosmic strings The lore cosmological model New numerical results Conclusion Scaling regime Loop evolution

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The energetic approach

Loop energy density distribution:

x

d d d (, ): energy density of all loops of size lphys with < lphys < + d dh

x
s

Long strings: =
1

d d d

Big FLRW simulations to plot d ()d2 /U h

Radiation era

Matter era 31

40
dh / U dh / U

30 29 28 27

35

30

25 20
3

26
8.0 1 0
2

40

60

80

100 =0.035 =0.020 =0.012 =0.009 =0.007

10

20

30

40 =0.023 =0.013 =0.007 =0.006 =0.005

50

5. 1. 1. 2. 2. 0.0 010 2 010 3 510 3 010 3 510

(d/d) dh / U

(d/d) dh / U

0.0

2.0 1

4.0 1

6.0 1

20

40

/lc

60

80

100

10

20

/lc

30

40

50

Cosmic strings The lore cosmological model New numerical results Conclusion

The energetic approach Loop scaling regime Non-scaling loops Physics versus numerics IC memory

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Loop scaling regime

After a relaxation period (longer for smaller loops)

x

Energy and number densities evolve as d U = S() 2 d dh dn S() = d d3 h

x
10 10
3
5

Power law t to the scaling function S() = C p

Matter era
10
6 5

Radiation era
10 10

4 3

scaling

scaling

4 3

(dn/d) dh

10 10

2 1

10 10

2 1

10 10 10

10 10 10 10
-4 -3 -2 -1 0

-1

-1

10

10

10

10

10

-4

10

-3

10

-2

10

-1

10

In the range 103 p C

mat mat

= (U / )1/2 /dh and p C

rad rad

+0.08 1.41 0.07

+0.21 1.60 0.15

0.09 0.03 +0.03

0.21 0.12 +0.13

Loops with < 103 do not scale?

Cosmic strings The lore cosmological model New numerical results Conclusion The energetic approach Loop scaling regime Non-scaling loops Physics versus numerics IC memory

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Non-scaling loops

Delayed scaling for the smallest loops

6

4 dh / U

10

20

/lc

30

40

50

Properties of the transient regime

x

Rescaled distribution
10
0

lc
p+1

C = (dn/d)

dh
10
-1

lr
10
-2 -3 -2

10

10

10

-1

10

lphys

2 new length scales? c and r

Cosmic strings The lore cosmological model New numerical results Conclusion The energetic approach Loop scaling regime Non-scaling loops Physics versus numerics IC memory

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Physical and numerical parameters: mind the gap

Physical lengths in a real string network

x x x x

Horizon size: dh Initial correlation length (phase transition): c dh Gravitational back-reaction length: c < g dh dh String width: 1/ U < c dh Horizon size: dh Initial correlation length (VV): c < dh Initial discretization length (adaptative): r < c
Real loop Numerical loop

Lengths in Nambu-Goto numerical simulations

x x x

lr lc

c r = Nppcl
Cosmic strings The lore cosmological model New numerical results Conclusion

(Nppcl = 20)
The energetic approach Loop scaling regime Non-scaling loops Physics versus numerics IC memory

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Memory of the initial conditions

Transient eects keep trace of the numerical IC

x x x

Overall loop number peaked at lphys = r Overproduction of loops at lphys = c Fixed physical length (see three scales model)

Numerical checks on small runs (scaling robustness)

lr
10 10
5 0
40

lr

20

lr

10

10

(dn/d) dh

C
-1

10 10

10

20 ppcl 10 ppcl 40 ppcl

10
-4

10

C lc

10

-3

10

-2

10

-1

10 0

-3

10

-2

lphys

10

-1

10

1 0.75 0.5 0.25 0 -0.25 10 20

-2 -4

M=a W=a P
3

-6 -8 -10 -12

M+ 3WH

/lc

30

40

10

20

/lc

30

40

Early explosive formation of r -sized loops + strong dissipation (unresolved loops) Scaling distribution independant of c and r
Cosmic strings The lore cosmological model New numerical results Conclusion The energetic approach Loop scaling regime Non-scaling loops Physics versus numerics IC memory

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Comparison with recent works

s

Minkowski simulations
x x
10
3

[Vanchurin 05]

(+ expansion

[Olum 06]

Loop production function peaked at lphys = 0.3t Gluing method + Loop cut-o: lphys > 0.25t
101

10 x f(x)

100

10

101

10

10

10

10 x

10

10

10

102 4 10

10 3

t=6

t=8

t= t= 90 t=4 60 t=3 5 t=2 0 2 t=1 t=1 6 2

x2 f(x)

10 2

10 1

10 0

FLRW simulations
x x

[Martins 06]

High Nppcl + shorter simulations: fractal approach Hint of complete scaling of the overall loop production function?
0.1
1.1 1.7 2.3 3.0

0.8

0.6

l/t
10
3

0.4

0.01

tot

0.2

0.2 4 10

10

10 l/t

10

10

0.001

note 1 of slide 13

Conclusion

After a transient regime, longer for smaller loops

x

One length scale: dh d C U = p 2 d dh dn C = p+1 3 d dh

x
s

Only valid for > g (no gw included)

Transient regime
x x x x x

Loop sizes = typical correlation lengths Correlations from IC: at constant lphys Higher loop production for smaller correlation length Similarity with turbulences in hydro Numerical simulations add articial correlations at r

Open questions
x x

What would happen without r correlations? Numerical dissipation particle emission as a transient energy loss mechanism?

Cosmic strings The lore cosmological model New numerical results Conclusion

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