Cosmological and Astrophysical Implications of Superconducting Cosmic Strings and Vortons

ALEJANDRO GANGUI; PATRICK PETER

Fundamental Parameters in Cosmology

Editions Frontieres

Año: 1998; p. 19 - 24

We present here an extensive review of various issues relevant for superconducting cosmic strings and vortons.  We first address the microscopic aspects of various possible currents confined to the defect core and their ability to sustain loop equilibrium configurations.  We then survey recent developments in the macroscopic description of vortons, especially regarding the stability under general perturbations and inclusion of electromagnetic effects. Standard cosmology imposes important constraints on both past and present distributions of these defects, and on their evolution, and we here briefly summarize them.  We then describe those noteworthy astrophysical signatures that could be unambiguous tracers of their existence, like peculiar features in the lensing of distant sources and in the spectra of ultra high energy cosmic rays.  Overall, we highlight the remaining open questions and future prospects.