Cosmic string cusps and their application to fast radio bursts

dc.contributor.advisorWeltman, Amanda
dc.contributor.authorGordin, Jake E. B.
dc.date.accessioned2019-05-10T10:35:02Z
dc.date.available2019-05-10T10:35:02Z
dc.date.issued2018
dc.date.updated2019-05-10T10:00:48Z
dc.description.abstractThis thesis concerns observational characteristics of two theoretical aspects of cosmic strings. The first is relativistic modification of cusps. Nambu-Goto strings generically develop cusps, regions of the string which emit coherent electromagnetic radiation when they decay. We point out that consideration of relativistic effects in the rest frame of the string cusp substantially reduces the cusp length, and therefore modifies the normally assumed power, rate, and time scale of any radiation bursts. The second is consideration of wiggly cosmic strings. Simulations imply a distribution of strings in an expanding universe develop small-scale structure called wiggles. We extend on a wiggly Polyakov formalism and show that wiggles prohibit cusp formation (barring ad-hoc fine tuning of initial conditions). We discuss these theoretical results in the context of using strings to explain fast radio bursts (FRBs). Cusp decay is a possible mechanism for sourcing FRBs. We show, however, that (1) consideration of relativistic effect leads to incompatibility with FRB data, and (2) the absence of cusps from “realistic” cosmic strings casts further doubt on the possibility of detecting cosmic strings via electromagnetic signatures.
dc.identifier.apacitationGordin, Jake E. B. (2018). <i>Cosmic string cusps and their application to fast radio bursts</i>. (). ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/29983en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationGordin, Jake E. B.. <i>"Cosmic string cusps and their application to fast radio bursts."</i> ., ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/29983en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationGordin, Jake E. B. 2018. Cosmic string cusps and their application to fast radio bursts. . ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/29983en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Gordin, Jake E. B. AB - This thesis concerns observational characteristics of two theoretical aspects of cosmic strings. The first is relativistic modification of cusps. Nambu-Goto strings generically develop cusps, regions of the string which emit coherent electromagnetic radiation when they decay. We point out that consideration of relativistic effects in the rest frame of the string cusp substantially reduces the cusp length, and therefore modifies the normally assumed power, rate, and time scale of any radiation bursts. The second is consideration of wiggly cosmic strings. Simulations imply a distribution of strings in an expanding universe develop small-scale structure called wiggles. We extend on a wiggly Polyakov formalism and show that wiggles prohibit cusp formation (barring ad-hoc fine tuning of initial conditions). We discuss these theoretical results in the context of using strings to explain fast radio bursts (FRBs). Cusp decay is a possible mechanism for sourcing FRBs. We show, however, that (1) consideration of relativistic effect leads to incompatibility with FRB data, and (2) the absence of cusps from “realistic” cosmic strings casts further doubt on the possibility of detecting cosmic strings via electromagnetic signatures. DA - 2018 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PY - 2018 T1 - Cosmic string cusps and their application to fast radio bursts TI - Cosmic string cusps and their application to fast radio bursts UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/29983 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/29983
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationGordin Jake E B. Cosmic string cusps and their application to fast radio bursts. []. ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, 2018 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/29983en_ZA
dc.language.rfc3066eng
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Science
dc.titleCosmic string cusps and their application to fast radio bursts
dc.typeMaster Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationnameMSc
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