Topological structures, dark matter and gravitational waves in $E_6$

TL;DR

This paper explores the topological structures, dark matter candidates, and gravitational wave signals resulting from the symmetry breaking of the grand unified group $E_6$ down to the Standard Model, highlighting novel metastable string scenarios.

Contribution

It introduces a new scenario for metastable string formation via a specific symmetry breaking chain involving $U(1)_ extpsi$, and discusses implications for dark matter and gravitational waves.

Findings

Metastable strings formed from $Z_8$ to $Z_4$ symmetry breaking.

Unbroken $Z_2$ symmetry provides dark matter candidates.

Gravitational waves emitted by superheavy and stable cosmic strings.

Abstract

We discuss the appearance of topological structures from the spontaneous breaking of $E_6$ to the Standard Model via its maximal subgroup $SO(10) \times U(1)_\psi$. They include dumbbells, metastable strings, as well as domain walls bounded by necklaces. We provide a novel scenario for producing metastable strings based on the symmetry breaking $U(1)_\psi \longrightarrow Z_8 \longrightarrow Z_4$. The metastable string arises from the merger of $Z_8$ strings that bound a domain wall. An unbroken gauge $Z_2$ symmetry from $SO(10)$ breaking yields viable stable dark matter candidates as well as topologically stable strings. We discuss the gravitational wave emission from two varieties of cosmic strings, namely the superheavy metastable ones and the intermediate scale topologically stable cosmic strings.