Microscopic properties of cosmic strings and their observational signatures

• Grant number: 15/02563-8
• Support type: Research Grants - Visiting Researcher Grant - International
• Duration: June 03, 2015 - June 14, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Physics - Elementary Particle Physics and Fields
• Principal researcher: Betti Hartmann
• Grantee: Betti Hartmann
• Visiting researcher: Patrick Peter
• Visiting researcher institution: Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris (IAP), France
• Home Institution: Instituto de Física de São Carlos (IFSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Cosmic strings are the topological defect that seems most important from the point of view of cosmological applications. While magnetic monopoles and domain walls are catastrophic for the universe since they over close it, cosmic strings are believed to develop into a so-called scaling regime which means that their contribution to the total energy density of the universe is kept constant during the expansion of the universe. If cosmic strings really exist in the universe future Cosmic Microwave background (CMB) data should be able to identify their presence in the universe. The analysis of recent temperature and polarization data of the CMB shows that the presence of cosmic strings in the universe is not (yet) excluded and even seems to be favored. Since CMB measurements will become more and more precise in the coming years it is crucial to understand the signature of these objects. The aim of this project is hence to discuss models of the early universe that predict the existence of cosmic strings and study these objects in detail. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

HARTMANN, BETTI; MICHEL, FLORENT; PETER, PATRICK. Radial excitations of current-carrying vortices. Physics Letters B, v. 767, p. 354-359, APR 10 2017. (15/02563-8)