Metastable Strings in Abelian Higgs Models Embedded in Non-Abelian Theories: Calculating the Decay Rate

A. Yung; M. Shifman

RECORD

Metastable Strings in Abelian Higgs Models Embedded in Non-Abelian Theories: Calculating the Decay Rate

M. Shifman, A. Yung

High Energy Physics - Theory · Submitted 2 May 2002

abstract compiled · 2026-09-23 · no language-model review

The authors' main claim The suppressing exponent is proportional to the ratio of the monopole mass squared to the string tension, which is quite natural in view of the string breaking through the monopole-antimonopole pair production.

how it is stated · asserted 0.97 read the record →

Comment (0) Read on arXiv ↗

Cite ▾

arXiv IDhep-th/0205025 (version 2)

Pith IDHX3MBNBA, Pith's permanent record of this paper and its review

CitationA. Yung, M. Shifman. "Metastable Strings in Abelian Higgs Models Embedded in Non-Abelian Theories: Calculating the Decay Rate." arXiv:hep-th/0205025 (2002). https://pith.science/paper/HX3MBNBA

Claim paper

The compiled record

The paper's own sentences, arranged. Each label is drawn from a closed vocabulary; the number beside it is the probability the classifier gave that label. Numbers in the tables are the authors', checked by code. No sentence in this record was written by a model.

Open the compiled record

Compiled by classifier-1.13-20260917 via OpenRouter, question bank abstract-p1-20260923, 2026-09-23: 1 request, 8,322 input tokens, $0.0003 reported.

What the abstract itself states, as probabilities: claims first 0.04 · states limitation 0.38 · human participants 0.01 · controlled comparison 0.07 · randomized assignment 0.01 · states quantitative result 0.27 · compares with prior results 0.97 · mentions code or data availability 0.02.

The abstract, sentence by sentence

arXiv listing abstract v2. Results and the main claim are underlined; show every role.

We study the fate of U(1) strings embedded in a non-Abelian gauge theory with a hierarchical pattern of the symmetry breaking: G->U(1) at V->nothing at v, V>>v. While in the low-energy limit the Abrikosov-Nielsen-Olesen string (flux tube) is perfectly stable, being considered in the full theory it is metastable. We consider the simplest example: the magnetic flux tubes in the SU(2) gauge theory with adjoint and fundamental scalars. First, the adjoint scalar develops a vacuum expectation value V breaking SU(2) down to U(1). Then, at a much lower scale, the fundamental scalar (quark) develops a vacuum expectation value v creating the Abrikosov-Nielsen-Olesen string. (We also consider an alternative scenario in which the second breaking, U(1)->nothing, is due to an adjoint field.) We suggest an illustrative ansatz describing an "unwinding" in SU(2) of the winding inherent to the Abrikosov-Nielsen-Olesen strings in U(1). This ansatz determines an effective 2D theory for the unstable mode on the string world-sheet. We calculate the decay rate (per unit length of the string) in this ansatz and then derive a general formula. The decay rate is exponentially suppressed. The suppressing exponent is proportional to the ratio of the monopole mass squared to the string tension, which is quite natural in view of the string breaking through the monopole-antimonopole pair production. We compare our result with the one given by Schwinger's formula dualized for describing the monopole-antimonopole pair production in the magnetic field.

background contribution method result interpretation main claim

What the classifier reports for each sentence. The number is the probability it gave the label.
#	sentence	role	the authors' own work	states the main conclusion	strength
s0	We study the fate of U(1) strings embedded in a non-Abelian gauge theory with a hierarchical pattern of the symmetry breaking: G->U(1) at V->nothing at v, V>>v.	contribution 0.83	0.79	0.05	asserted 0.87
s1	While in the low-energy limit the Abrikosov-Nielsen-Olesen string (flux tube) is perfectly stable, being considered in the full theory it is metastable.	background 0.74	0.20	0.21	asserted 1.00
s2	We consider the simplest example: the magnetic flux tubes in the SU(2) gauge theory with adjoint and fundamental scalars.	contribution 0.45	0.55	0.03	asserted 0.97
s3	First, the adjoint scalar develops a vacuum expectation value V breaking SU(2) down to U(1).	background 0.53	0.15	0.02	asserted 1.00
s4	Then, at a much lower scale, the fundamental scalar (quark) develops a vacuum expectation value v creating the Abrikosov-Nielsen-Olesen string.	background 0.55	0.20	0.03	asserted 1.00
s5	(We also consider an alternative scenario in which the second breaking, U(1)->nothing, is due to an adjoint field.) We suggest an illustrative ansatz describing an "unwinding" in SU(2) of the winding inherent to the Abrikosov-Nielsen-Olesen strings in U(1).	method 0.57	0.80	0.04	hedged possibility 0.80
s6	This ansatz determines an effective 2D theory for the unstable mode on the string world-sheet.	method 0.90	0.88	0.04	asserted 1.00
s7	We calculate the decay rate (per unit length of the string) in this ansatz and then derive a general formula.	method 0.53	0.96	0.11	asserted 1.00
s8	The decay rate is exponentially suppressed.	result 1.00	0.89	0.24	asserted 1.00
s9	The suppressing exponent is proportional to the ratio of the monopole mass squared to the string tension, which is quite natural in view of the string breaking through the monopole-antimonopole pair production.	interpretation 0.74	0.88	0.42	asserted 0.97
s10	We compare our result with the one given by Schwinger's formula dualized for describing the monopole-antimonopole pair production in the magnetic field.	contribution 0.54	0.73	0.07	asserted 0.92

What kind of paper the classifier reports this is: theoretical result 1.00 · evidence from proof or derivation 1.00.

What was examined, and what was not

sources read

arXiv listing abstract v2

not examined

full text
figures and tables
references and citing sentences
relations to other papers

levels run

P abstract

not run

S sections
T body sentences
C citations
R cross-paper relations

Every quoted sentence on this record is the authors'. Every label is from Pith's closed vocabulary, with the probability shown beside it. Every number in the measurements table is the authors', checked by code. Record as JSON

The paper

Original abstract

We study the fate of U(1) strings embedded in a non-Abelian gauge theory with a hierarchical pattern of the symmetry breaking: G->U(1) at V->nothing at v, V>>v. While in the low-energy limit the Abrikosov-Nielsen-Olesen string (flux tube) is perfectly stable, being considered in the full theory it is metastable. We consider the simplest example: the magnetic flux tubes in the SU(2) gauge theory with adjoint and fundamental scalars. First, the adjoint scalar develops a vacuum expectation value V breaking SU(2) down to U(1). Then, at a much lower scale, the fundamental scalar (quark) develops a vacuum expectation value v creating the Abrikosov-Nielsen-Olesen string. (We also consider an alternative scenario in which the second breaking, U(1)->nothing, is due to an adjoint field.) We suggest an illustrative ansatz describing an "unwinding" in SU(2) of the winding inherent to the Abrikosov-Nielsen-Olesen strings in U(1). This ansatz determines an effective 2D theory for the unstable mode on the string world-sheet. We calculate the decay rate (per unit length of the string) in this ansatz and then derive a general formula. The decay rate is exponentially suppressed. The suppressing exponent is proportional to the ratio of the monopole mass squared to the string tension, which is quite natural in view of the string breaking through the monopole-antimonopole pair production. We compare our result with the one given by Schwinger's formula dualized for describing the monopole-antimonopole pair production in the magnetic field.

Human review

How Pith checks papers → · Full audit of this paper →

References

Forward citations

Cited by 6 Pith papers

Reviewed papers in the Pith corpus that reference this work. Sorted by Pith novelty score. Full citation record

Nonabelian Superconductors: Vortices and Confinement in ${\cal N}=2$ SQCD
hep-th 2003-07 conditional novelty 8.0 of 10

Nonabelian vortices in softly broken N=2 SU(3) SQCD carry exact SU(2) orientational zero modes, and their worldsheet O(3) sigma model has a mass gap, so the dual SU(2) is not dynamically broken.
The decay rate of metastable cosmic strings beyond the thin-string approximation
hep-ph 2026-06 unverdicted novelty 7.0 of 10

Lattice simulations find the bounce action for metastable cosmic string decay suppressed compared to thin-string estimates, implying faster decay.
Cosmic Strings in Multi-Step Symmetry Breaking
hep-ph 2025-06 conditional novelty 7.0 of 10

In an SU(2)xU(1) to U(1)' to nothing chain, magnetic flux around decaying metastable strings is confined if the final U(1)' breaks first, but unconfined if the heavy strings decay first.
Gravitational Wave Background from Metastable Current-Carrying Cosmic Strings
astro-ph.CO 2026-10 conditional novelty 6.0 of 10

Current-carrying metastable cosmic strings can mimic the pulsar timing array signal, but the same parameter region is in tension with the LVK bound unless an extra high-frequency suppression mechanism is added.
Gravitational Waves from Metastable Cosmic Strings in Supersymmetric New Inflation Model
hep-ph 2024-11 conditional novelty 6.0 of 10

A supersymmetric new inflation model with a two-step SU(2) to U(1) to nothing symmetry breaking yields metastable cosmic strings with GUT-scale tension, able to match the PTA signal while evading LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA cons...

Show 1 more citing papers

Thermal Metastable Strings in One-Scale Models and Gravitational Waves
hep-ph 2026-06 unverdicted novelty 5.0 of 10

Thermal effects shift the PTA-compatible parameter region in a minimal dark-sector model to lower dark fine-structure constant and higher monopole-to-string-tension ratio by making thermally induced nucleation the dom...

How the literature uses it

18 arXiv papers cite this in 42 sentences

Each citing sentence is taken from the citing paper's LaTeX source and typed by Pith's classifier. A label appears at probability 0.8 or more (0.95 for support), a contest at 0.7 or more; the quoted words are the citing authors'. How each label was checked · JSON

Papers citing it · 25 sentences without a confident label

Contests it 1 paper

The expression given by Eqs.([ref]) and ([ref]) thus replaces the previous estimates [ref] of the pre-exponential factor in the transition rate.

The spontaneous breaking of a metastable string · Introduction · contest 0.74

Builds on it 1 paper

Based on a simplified version of the metastable string model of [ref] where the gauge interactions are switched off, we nevertheless find some evidence for a new string solution to be realized following the classical instability.

Metastable strings at PTAs: classical stability analysis · Conclusion · 0.87

Uses its method or tool 1 paper

Following Ref. [ref] , we parameterize the unwinding of a cosmic string with $$ by introducing two Ansätze.

Revisiting Metastable Cosmic String Breaking · Primitive Ansatz of Unwinding Process · 0.97

Compares with it 1 paper

Finally, we compare the results of our stability analysis with a benchmark previously studied in [ref] , where a specific unwinding ansatz was considered following [ref] .

Metastable strings at PTAs: classical stability analysis · Comparison with literature · 1.00

Cites it as background 8 papers

The $SU(2)$ gauge theory containing metastable cosmic strings that we consider was first proposed in [ref] , and later refined in [ref] .

Metastable strings at PTAs: classical stability analysis · The model realizing $SU(2)→U(1) →1$ · 0.83
The structure and decay mechanisms of such metastable strings in minimal symmetry breaking patterns have been investigated in Refs. [ref] .

Cosmic Strings in Multi-Step Symmetry Breaking · Introduction · 0.83
A string-like configuration with string tension $_1$ can be metastable with respect to either a complete breaking [ref] or a transition to a string of a lower tension $_2$, with $_2 < _1$ [ref] .

Breaking of a metastable string at finite temperature · Introduction · 0.97

Discussion

Know something about this paper? Leave a comment, or highlight any passage above to comment on it.