Observational Constraints on Superconducting Cosmic Strings

 

Prof Yunwei Yu
Central China Normal University
 

2 September 2014 (Tuesday)
3:00 pm
IAS4042, 4/F, Lo Ka Chung Building, Lee Shau Kee Campus, HKUST

Abstract:

Highly beamed, short-duration electromagnetic bursts could be produced by superconducting cosmic string (SCS) loops oscillating in cosmic magnetic fields. Such electromagnetic bursts could provide a valuable probe to discover SCSs. Specifically, at very high redshifts, the electromagnetic energy released from SCS bursts could be absorbed by the dense surrounding medium to form a fireball, which could subsequently generate a gamma-ray burst (GRB). In contrast, at relatively low redshifts, the SCS burst emission could successfully penetrate through the intergalactic medium and be detected by radio telescopes, exhibiting as a fast radio burst (FRB). The speaker confronts the SCS burst model with the GRB and FRB observations including their durations, frequencies, energy releases, and event rates. The basic consistency between the model and observations suggests that FRBs and high-redshift GRBs could be observational signatures of SCSs. Then some model parameters can be constrained.

 

---

The seminar is free and open to the public. No registration is required. Seating is on a first-come first-served basis.

HKUST Jockey Club Institute for Advanced Study
URL: http://ias.ust.hk
Enquiries: ias@ust.hk / 2358 5912

> Back