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Cosmology in the Einstein-elektroweak theory and magnetic fields. (English) Zbl 1027.81527

Summary: In the \(\text{SU}(2)_L\times \text{U}(1)_Y\) standard electroweak theory coupled with the Einstein gravity, new topological configurations naturally emerge, if the spatial section of the universe is globally a three-sphere \((S^3)\) with a small radius. The \(\text{SU}(2)_L\) gauge fields and Higgs fields wrap the space nontrivially, residing at or near a local minimum of the potential. As the universe expands, however, the shape of the potential rapidly changes and the local minimum eventually disappears. The fields then start to roll down towards the absolute minimum. In the absence of the \(\text{U}(1)_Y\) gauge interaction the resulting space is a homogeneous and isotropic \(S^3\), but the \(\text{U}(1)_Y\) gauge interaction necessarily induces anisotropy while preserving the homogeneity of the space. Large magnetic fields are generically produced over a substantial period of the rolling-over transition. The magnetic field configuration is characterized by the Hopf map.

MSC:

81V22 Unified quantum theories
81V15 Weak interaction in quantum theory
83F05 Relativistic cosmology