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String Network Evolution

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Book cover Formation and Interactions of Topological Defects

Part of the book series: NATO ASI Series ((NSSB,volume 349))

Abstract

The present understanding of the scale-invariant evolution of a cosmic string network is reviewed. After a brief introduction to string properties and their nonlinear interactions, we discuss the replacement of the full three-dimensional field theory with a one-dimensional low-energy effective action—the Nambu action. The ‘one-scale’ model and more sophisticated analytic treatments of the cosmological evolution of a string network are then described. We discuss the effect on small-scale structure of gravitational and other radiative backreaction. The current quantitative status of numerical simulations of string networks is summarized. The potential observational signatures of cosmic strings are also briefly described. Throughout, the relationship of these methods and results to vortex-string networks in other physical contexts is considered.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge, Silver Street, Cambridge, CB3 9EW, UK

    E. P. S. Shellard

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  1. E. P. S. Shellard
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England

    Anne-Christine Davis

  2. Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island

    Robert Brandenberger

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© 1995 Springer Science+Business Media New York

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Shellard, E.P.S. (1995). String Network Evolution. In: Davis, AC., Brandenberger, R. (eds) Formation and Interactions of Topological Defects. NATO ASI Series, vol 349. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-1883-9_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-1883-9_9

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-5767-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-1883-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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