Topological Defects and the Non-Equilibrium Dynamics of Symmetry Breaking Phase Transitions /

Topological defects formed at symmetry-breaking phase transitions play an important role in many different fields of physics. They appear in many condensed matter systems at low temperature, including vortices in superfluid He-4, defects in He-3, quantized magnetic flux tubes in type-II superconduct...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Bunkov, Yuriy M.
Corporate Author: SpringerLink (Online service)
Other Authors: Godfrin, Henri
Format: eBook
Language:English
Published: Dordrecht : Springer Netherlands : Imprint : Springer, 2000.
Series:NATO science series. Mathematical and physical sciences ; 549.
Subjects:
Online Access:Connect to the full text of this electronic book
Description
Summary:Topological defects formed at symmetry-breaking phase transitions play an important role in many different fields of physics. They appear in many condensed matter systems at low temperature, including vortices in superfluid He-4, defects in He-3, quantized magnetic flux tubes in type-II superconductors, and disclination lines and other defects in liquid crystals. In cosmology, unified gauge theories of particle interactions suggest a sequence of phase transitions in the very early universe, some of which may lead to defect formation. In astrophysics, defects play an important role in the dynamics of neutron stars. <br/> The present book begins with a Condensed Matter - High Energy & Cosmology dictionary, prepared by Grigory Volovik, which gives a common basis to ideas pertaining to these branches of modern physics. The following papers, written by experts in their respective fields, provide the fundamental concepts of symmetry-breaking phase transitions. The book represents the fruits of an exchange of ideas between particle physicists, cosmologists and condensed matter physicists.
Item Description:Electronic resource.
Physical Description:1 online resource (396 pages)
ISBN:9789401141062 (electronic bk.)
9401141061 (electronic bk.)