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Counting defects with the two-point correlator

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Abstract

We study how topological defects manifest themselves in the equal-time two-point field correlator. We consider a scalar field with Z 2 symmetry in 1, 2 and 3 spatial dimensions, allowing for kinks, domain lines and domain walls, respectively. Using numerical lattice simulations, we find that in any number of dimensions, the correlator in momentum space is to a very good approximation the product of two factors, one describing the spatial distribution of the defects and the other describing the defect shape. When the defects are produced by the Kibble mechanism, the former has a universal form, which we determine numerically. This signature makes it possible to determine the kink density from the field correlator without having to resort to the Gaussian approximation. This is essential when studying field dynamics with methods relying only on correlators (Schwinger-Dyson, 2PI).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Theoretical Physics, Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College, London, SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom

    Arttu Rajantie

  2. Helsinki Institute of Physics, P.O.Box 41, FIN-00014, Helsinki, Finland

    Anders Tranberg

  3. Department of Physical Sciences, University of Oulu, FIN-90014, Oulu, Finland

    Anders Tranberg

Authors
  1. Arttu Rajantie
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  2. Anders Tranberg
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Correspondence to Anders Tranberg.

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ArXiv ePrint: 1005.0269

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Rajantie, A., Tranberg, A. Counting defects with the two-point correlator. J. High Energ. Phys. 2010, 86 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP08(2010)086

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP08(2010)086

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