A Nonabelian Particle-Vortex Duality

TL;DR

This paper introduces a nonabelian particle-vortex duality in three dimensions, extending concepts from string theory and applying it to semilocal strings in gauge theories with potential implications for cosmic string physics.

Contribution

It defines a new nonabelian duality in 3D, generalizing nonabelian T-duality, and applies it to semilocal strings in gauge theories with global symmetries.

Findings

Formulation of a 3D nonabelian particle-vortex duality.

Application to semilocal strings in $SU(2)_G \times U(1)_L$ gauge theory.

Potential insights into cosmic string phenomena.

Abstract

We define a nonabelian particle-vortex duality as a $3-$dimensional analogue of the usual $2-$dimensional worldsheet nonabelian T-duality. The transformation is defined in the presence of a global $SU(2)$ symmetry and, although derived from a string theoretic setting, we formulate it generally. We then apply it to so-called "semilocal strings" in an $SU(2)_{G}\times U(1)_{L}$ gauge theory, originally discovered in the context of cosmic string physics.