Abstract
We study the spectrum of loops as a part of a complete network of cosmic strings in flat spacetime. After a long transient regime, characterized by production of small loops at the scale of the initial conditions, it appears that a true scaling regime takes over. In this final regime the characteristic length of loops scales as , in contrast to earlier simulations which found tiny loops. We expect the expanding-universe behavior to be qualitatively similar. If this expectation is correct, then the large loop sizes have important cosmological implications. In particular, the nucleosynthesis bound then becomes , much tighter than that obtained from earlier analyses.
- Received 6 December 2005
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.74.063527
©2006 American Physical Society