Using Cosmic Strings to Relate Local Geometry to Spatial Topology

TL;DR

This paper explores how cosmic strings can connect local geometric properties with the overall topology of the universe, using foliation theory and observational data to identify possible spatial topologies.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach linking cosmic strings to the determination of the universe's global topology through geometric and topological methods.

Findings

Cosmic strings can serve as probes for spatial topology.

Observational constraints narrow down possible topologies.

Discovery of cosmic strings impacts understanding of universe's global structure.

Abstract

In this paper we will discuss how cosmic strings can be used to bridge the gap between the local geometry of our spacetime model and the global topology. The primary tool is the theory of foliations and surfaces, and together with observational constraints we can isolate several possibilities for the topology of the spatial section. This implies that the discovery of cosmic strings would not just be significant for an understanding of structure formation in the early universe, but also for the global properties of the spacetime model.