Topological Inflation with Multiple Winding

TL;DR

This paper investigates the conditions under which topological inflation occurs in superheavy gauge vortices with multiple winding, revealing the critical parameters and potential for inflation at GUT scales.

Contribution

It introduces a numerical analysis of the core dynamics of multi-winding vortices in Einstein-Abelian-Higgs systems, highlighting the role of winding in inflation onset.

Findings

Identification of the critical symmetry breaking scale for inflation

Dependence of inflation onset on vortex winding number

Potential for topological inflation at GUT energy scales

Abstract

We analyze the core dynamics of critically coupled, superheavy gauge vortices in the (2+1) dimensional Einstein-Abelian-Higgs system. By numerically solving the Eistein and field equations for various values of the symmetry breaking scale, we identify the regime in which static solutions cease to exist and topological inflation begins. We explicitly include the topological winding of the vortices into the calculation and extract the dependence on the winding of the critical scale separating the static and inflating regimes. Extrapolation of our results suggests that topological inflation might occur within high winding strings formed at the Grand Unified scale.