Radiative Backreaction on Global Strings

Abstract

We consider radiative backreaction for global strings using the Kalb-Ramond formalism. In analogy to the point electron in classical electrodynamics, we show how local radiative corrections to the equations of motion allow one to remove the divergence in the self field and calculate a first order approximation to the radiation backreaction force. The effects of this backreaction force are studied numerically by resubstituting the equations of motion to suppress exponentially growing solutions. By direct comparison with numerical field theory simulations and analytic radiation calculations we establish that the `local backreaction approximation' provides a satisfactory quantitative description of radiative damping for a wide variety of string configurations. Finally, we discuss the relevance of this work to the evolution of a network of global strings and their possible cosmological consequences. These methods can also be applied to describe the effects of gravitational radiation backreaction on local strings, electromagnetic radiation backreaction on superconducting strings and other forms of string radiative backreaction.