Universal Reconnection of Non-Abelian Cosmic Strings

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that non-Abelian cosmic strings always reconnect upon collision, using moduli space approximation and vortex moduli parameters, confirming the classical reconnection behavior in gauge theories.

Contribution

It provides a universal proof of string reconnection in non-Abelian gauge theories through the moduli matrix formalism and geodesic analysis.

Findings

Vortex moduli parameters are explicitly identified.

Head-on vortex collisions result in right-angle scattering.

Reconnection occurs classically in all cases studied.

Abstract

We show that local/semilocal strings in Abelian/non-Abelian gauge theories with critical couplings always reconnect classically in collision, by using moduli space approximation. The moduli matrix formalism explicitly identifies a well-defined set of the vortex moduli parameters. Our analysis of generic geodesic motion in terms of those shows right-angle scattering in head-on collision of two vortices, which is known to give the reconnection of the strings.