Published April 15, 1994 | Version v1
Journal article

Growth of bubbles in cosmological phase transitions

  • 1. Research Institute for Theoretical Physics, P.O. Box 9, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki (Finland)
  • 2. Department of Theoretical Physics, P.O. Box 9, 00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki (Finland)

Description

We study how bubbles grow after the initial nucleation event in generic first-order cosmological phase transitions characterized by the values of the latent heat L, interface tension σ, and correlation length ξ, and driven by a scalar order parameter φ. Equations coupling φ(t,x) and the fluid variables v(t,x),T(t,x) and depending on a dissipative constant Γ are derived and solved numerically in the (1+1)-dimensional case starting from a slightly deformed critical bubble configuration φ(0,x). The parameters L, σ, ξ corresponding to QCD and electroweak phase transitions are chosen and the whole history of the bubble with the formation of combustion and shock fronts is computed as a function of Γ. Both deflagrations and detonations can appear depending on the values of the parameters. Reheating due to collisions of bubbles is also computed

Additional details

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Physical Review. D, Particles Fields
Journal Volume
49
Journal Issue
8
Journal Page Range
p. 3854-3868.
ISSN
0556-2821
CODEN
PRVDAQ