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Studies of the motion and decay of axion walls bounded by strings

6 Pith papers cite this work. Polarity classification is still indexing.

6 Pith papers citing it
abstract

We discuss the appearance at the QCD phase transition, and the subsequent decay, of axion walls bounded by strings in N=1 axion models. We argue on intuitive grounds that the main decay mechanism is into barely relativistic axions. We present numerical simulations of the decay process. In these simulations, the decay happens immediately, in a time scale of order the light travel time, and the average energy of the radiated axions is $<\omega_a > \simeq 7 m_a$ for $v_a/m_a \simeq 500$. $<\omega_a>$ is found to increase approximately linearly with $\ln(v_a/m_a)$. Extrapolation of this behaviour yields $<\omega_a> \sim 60 m_a$ in axion models of interest. We find that the contribution to the cosmological energy density of axions from wall decay is of the same order of magnitude as that from vacuum realignment, with however large uncertainties. The velocity dispersion of axions from wall decay is found to be larger, by a factor $10^3$ or so, than that of axions from vacuum realignment and string decay. We discuss the implications of this for the formation and evolution of axion miniclusters and for the direct detection of axion dark matter on Earth. Finally we discuss the cosmology of axion models with $N>1$ in which the domain wall problem is solved by introducing a small U$_{PQ}$(1) breaking interaction. We find that in this case the walls decay into gravitational waves.

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representative citing papers

Axion Star Bosenova in Axion Miniclusters

hep-ph · 2025-08-20 · unverdicted · novelty 5.0

Axion stars in miniclusters can reach bosenova conditions within the age of the Universe for QCD axions when initial overdensity exceeds roughly 100, once self-interaction effects are included.

Majoron Dark Matter, High-Scale Seesaw, and Leptogenesis

hep-ph · 2026-06-01 · unverdicted · novelty 4.0

Majoron dark matter is viable for sub-MeV masses in high-scale seesaw models with thermal leptogenesis, produced via misalignment and cosmic strings in pre- and post-inflationary scenarios and constrained by CMB, X-ray, and gravitational wave observations.

Axions as Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and Dark Radiation

hep-ph · 2025-09-21 · unverdicted · novelty 2.0

A mini-review of axion phenomenology showing how light bosons can account for dark matter, drive cosmic acceleration, or contribute to relativistic backgrounds in the early and late Universe.

The landscape of QCD axion models

hep-ph · 2020-03-02 · unverdicted · novelty 2.0

Review classifies QCD axion models extending the standard mass-coupling window and updates bounds from cosmology, astrophysics, and experiments.

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  • Majoron Dark Matter, High-Scale Seesaw, and Leptogenesis hep-ph · 2026-06-01 · unverdicted · none · ref 48 · internal anchor

    Majoron dark matter is viable for sub-MeV masses in high-scale seesaw models with thermal leptogenesis, produced via misalignment and cosmic strings in pre- and post-inflationary scenarios and constrained by CMB, X-ray, and gravitational wave observations.