Constraints on cosmic string and cosmic superstring networks with Y-junctions

by Daniele Steer (APC)

Wednesday 19 Mar 2008, 11:00 → 12:00 Europe/Zurich

1/1-025 (CERN)

I will discuss a number of properties of cosmic string or cosmic superstring networks with 3-way (or Y-) junctions. Such networks may be formed in a number of different scenarios, one of which is in brane-motivated models of inflation, and the aim is to determine their observational consequences. First we will show that there are important kinematic constraints on the outcome of collisions between two strings (such collisions occur frequently during the evolution of the network). We discuss the consequences of these, and also determine some global properties of the network. Namely we show that at late times the lightest tension strings are most likely to dominate the network. This conclusion is reached via two different methods, one of which brings to light some interesting links between string statistical mechanics and XY-models.