Semiclassical Effects Induced by Aharonov-Bohm Interaction Between a Cosmic String and a Scalar Field

TL;DR

This paper investigates how quantum effects, specifically vacuum polarization influenced by Aharonov-Bohm interactions, modify the spacetime around a magnetic flux cosmic string within a semiclassical framework.

Contribution

It provides a first-order semiclassical metric correction for a cosmic string with magnetic flux, highlighting the dominant role of Aharonov-Bohm effects over gravitational interactions.

Findings

Aharonov-Bohm interaction significantly impacts vacuum polarization.

The derived metric correction is first-order in ar.

Aharonov-Bohm effects surpass gravitational contributions in this context.

Abstract

In the context of the vacuum polarization effect, we consider the backreaction of the energy-momentum tensor of a charged scalar field on the background metric of a cosmic string carrying a magnetic flux $\Phi$. Working within the semiclassical approach to the Einstein eqs. we find the first-order (in $\hbar$) metric associated to the magnetic flux cosmic string. We show that the contribution to the vacuum polarization effect coming from the Aharonov-Bohm interaction is larger than the one coming from the non-trivial gravitational interaction.