Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-23-2009

Publication Title

Physical Review D - Particles, Fields, Gravitation, and Cosmology

Department

Department of Physics and Astronomy

Abstract

We present a numerical investigation of the dynamics of symmetry breaking in both Abelian and non-Abelian [SU(2)] Higgs models in three spatial dimensions. We find a class of time-dependent, long-lived nonperturbative field configurations within the range of parameters corresponding to type-1 superconductors, that is, with vector masses (mv) larger than scalar masses (ms). We argue that these emergent nontopological configurations are related to oscillons found previously in other contexts. For the Abelian-Higgs model, our lattice implementation allows us to map the range of parameter space—the values of β=(ms/mv)2—where such configurations exist and to follow them for times t∼O(105)m−1. An investigation of their properties for ˆz-symmetric models reveals an enormously rich structure of resonances and mode-mode oscillations reminiscent of excited atomic states. For the SU(2) case, we present preliminary results indicating the presence of similar oscillonic configurations.

DOI

10.1103/PhysRevD.79.025016

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