Domain wall dynamics in expanding spaces

Abstract

We study the effects on the dynamics of kinks due to expansions and contractions of the space. We show that the propagation velocity of the kink can be adiabatically tuned through slow expansions/contractions, while its width is given as a function of the velocity. We also analyze the case of fast expansions/contractions, where we are no longer on the adiabatic regime. In this case the kink moves more slowly after an expansion-contraction cycle as a consequence of loss of energy through radiation. All these effects are numerically studied in the nonlinear Klein-Gordon equations (both for the sine-Gordon and for the phi^4 potential), and they are also studied within the framework of the collective coordinate evolution equations for the width and the center of mass of the kink. These collective coordinate evolution equations are obtained with a procedure that allows us to consider even the case of large expansions/contractions.Comment: LaTeX, 18 pages, 2 figures, improved version to appear in Phys Rev