Quantum Stabilization of Cosmic Strings

TL;DR

This paper reviews how quantum fluctuations of heavy fermions can stabilize cosmic strings within a simplified standard model framework, showing that realistic fermion masses could suffice for stabilization.

Contribution

It demonstrates that quantum effects from heavy fermions can stabilize cosmic strings without requiring unrealistic parameters, based on semiclassical calculations.

Findings

Charged strings can be stabilized with fermion masses near the top quark mass.

Quantum corrections are significant and must be considered together for stability analysis.

Results suggest standard model fermions could stabilize cosmic strings without new physics.

Abstract

In the standard model, stabilization of a classically unstable cosmic string may occur through the quantum fluctuations of a heavy fermion doublet. We review numerical results from a semiclassical expansion in a reduced version of the standard model. In this expansion the leading quantum corrections emerge at one loop level for many internal degrees of freedom. The resulting vacuum polarization energy and the binding energy of occupied fermion energy levels are of the same order, and must therefore be treated on equal footing. Populating these bound states lowers the total energy compared to the same number of free fermions. Charged strings are already stabilized for a fermion mass only somewhat larger than the top quark mass. Though obtained in a reduced version these results suggest that neither extraordinarily large fermion masses nor unrealistic couplings are required to bind a cosmic string in the standard model. Furthermore we also review results for a quantum stabilization mechanism that prevents closed Nielsen-Olesen type strings from collapsing.