A new rolling tachyon solution of cubic string field theory

TL;DR

This paper introduces an analytic, time-dependent solution in cubic string field theory depicting a bouncing tachyon profile, with potential implications for cosmology and a detailed analysis of its energy-momentum tensor.

Contribution

It provides the first explicit analytic bouncing tachyon solution in cubic string field theory with detailed energy-momentum tensor analysis.

Findings

The solution is a smooth, finite energy bounce in time.

The energy density remains constant throughout the evolution.

The pressure changes sign, indicating a new form of tachyon matter.

Abstract

We present a new analytic time dependent solution of cubic string field theory at the lowest order in the level truncation scheme. The tachyon profile we have found is a bounce in time, a $C^{\infty}$ function which represents an almost exact solution, with an extremely good degree of accuracy, of the classical equations of motion of the truncated string field theory. Such a finite energy solution describes a tachyon which at $x^0=-\infty$ is at the maximum of the potential, at later times rolls toward the stable minimum and then up to the other side of the potential toward the inversion point and thenback to the unstable maximum for $x^0\to+\infty$. The energy-momentum tensor associated with this rolling tachyon solution can be explicitly computed. The energy density is constant, the pressure is an even function of time which can change sign while the tachyon rolls toward the minimum of its potential. A new form of tachyon matter is realized which might be relevant for cosmological applications.