Future targets for light gauge bosons from cosmic strings

TL;DR

This paper explores how cosmic strings could produce dark matter and gravitational waves, analyzing their spectra and constraints from cosmological data to inform future observations and model parameters.

Contribution

It provides an analytical and numerical study of gauge boson and GW emission from cosmic strings, linking these signals to dark matter and radiation constraints.

Findings

GW spectrum follows a $f^{-1/3}$ pattern at high frequencies

Derived an analytical expression for the characteristic frequency $f_*$

Future GW observatories could detect signals from cosmic strings

Abstract

Cosmic strings, theoretical one-dimensional topological defects from the early universe, provide a valuable opportunity for exploring dark matter (DM) production and gravitational wave (GW) emission. Our study investigates the production of gauge bosons and GW emission from cosmic string decay, considering the constraints imposed by cosmological observations. We specifically examine how gauge bosons radiated from strings contribute to DM and dark radiation, with limits set by the observed DM abundance and cosmic microwave background data, respectively. Additionally, we analyze the gravitational wave spectrum of this model across both low and high frequencies. Notably, the spectrum typically follows a $f^{-1/3}$ pattern at high frequencies, beyond the pivot frequency $f_*$. We derive an analytical expression for the frequency $f_*$ and confirm its accuracy through numerical verification. Furthermore, we compare the GW spectrum of this model with the forecasted capabilities of future GW observatories, such as the Einstein Telescope, the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna, the Big Bang Observer, and $\mu$Ares. Finally, we discuss how these considerations impact the model parameters, specifically the gauge boson mass and the energy scale of U(1) symmetry breaking, providing insights into how cosmic strings could enhance our understanding of DM and GW astronomy.