1999/12/31 by Andrew Chamblin, Douglas M. Eardley
Mathematics · Physics and Astronomy · #Black Holes and Theoretical Physics #Boundary (topology) #Boundary value problem #Brane #Classical mechanics #Cosmology and Gravitation Theories #Domain (mathematical analysis) #Domain wall (magnetism) #False vacuum #Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena #Instability #Instanton #Magnetic field #Mathematical analysis #Mathematical physics #Mathematics #Mechanics #Physics #Quantum mechanics #Shell (structure) #String (physics) #String theory #Theoretical physics #Universe #gr-qc #hep-ph #hep-th
paper · pdf · doi:10.1016/s0370-2693(00)00067-8
published as Phys.Lett. B475 (2000) 46-55 · 13 pages REVTeX, 3 .ps figures, added some references - version to appear in Physics Letters B
arxiv created 2000/01/08 · openalex publication_date 2000/02/01 · arxiv updated 2009/11/30 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
We investigate the semi-classical instability of vacuum domain walls to processes where the domain walls decay by the formation of closed string loop boundaries on their worldvolumes. Intuitively, a wall which is initially spherical may `pop', so that a hole corresponding to a string boundary component on the wall, may form. We find instantons, and calculate the rates, for such processes. We show that after puncture, the hole grows exponentially at the same rate that the wall expands. It follows that the wall is never completely thermalized by a single expanding hole; at arbitrarily late times there is still a large, thin shell of matter which may drive an exponential expansion of the universe. We also study the situation where the wall is subjected to multiple punctures. We find that in order to completely annihilate the wall by this process, at least four string loops must be nucleated. We argue that this process may be relevant in certain brane-world scenarios, where the universe itself is a domain wall.