Skyrme strings

Abstract

We construct nontopological string solutions with U(1) Noether charge in the Skyrme model with a pion mass term, and examine their stability by taking linear perturbations. The solution exhibits a critical angular velocity beyond which the configuration energetically prefers to decay by emitting pions. This critical point is observed as a cusp in the relation between energy and charge. We find that the maximum length for the string to be stable is comparable to the size of one skyrmion. Beyond the length, it is unstable to decay. This instability raises the possiblity of dynamical realization of Skyrme strings from monopole strings inside a domain wall.