Non-equilibrium Higgs transition in classical scalar electrodynamics

TL;DR

This study numerically investigates the real-time dynamics of a U(1) Gauge+Higgs system during a non-equilibrium phase transition, revealing early equations of state, differential mode thermalization, and vortex formation.

Contribution

It provides a detailed numerical analysis of non-equilibrium Higgs transition dynamics, including vortex seeding and scaling behavior in a classical scalar electrodynamics model.

Findings

Early well-defined equations of state for gauge fields

Longitudinal modes thermalize slower than transverse modes

Vortex density scales with symmetry breaking transition time

Abstract

Real time rearrangement of particle spectra is studied numerically in a U(1) Gauge+Higgs system, in the unitary gauge and in three spatial dimensions. The cold system starts from the symmetric phase. Evolution of the partial energy densities and pressures reveal well-defined equations of state for the longitudinal and transversal gauge fields very early. Longitudinal modes are excited more efficiently and thermalize the slowest. Hausdorff-dimension of the Higgs-defect manifold, eventually seeding vortex excitations is thoroughly discussed. Scaling dependence of the vortex density on the characteristic time of the symmetry breaking transition is established.