Tufts/CfA/MIT Cosmology Seminar, at MIT:

Tuesday, October 23, 2001
2:30 pm
Center for Theoretical Physics Seminar Room
Refreshments at 2:00, same location

"Gravitational Radiation and the Fate of Small Scale Structure on Cosmic Strings"


Xavier Siemens
Tufts University

Abstract:

Small excitations on cosmic string loops and long strings do not radiate gravitationally as efficiently as previously thought. This result indicates that the smallest possible scales on a network may not be bounded from below by the gravitational cutoff. Simple back-reaction simulations including this supressed interaction further indicate that small wiggles dominate the evolution of cosmic string loops. This result may help promote non-superconducting cosmic strings back into the list of viable candidates for the production of ultra high energy cosmic rays as well as change predictions pertaining to the production of gamma ray bursts and gravitational wave bursts.

Return to Joint Cosmology Seminar home page.