Axially-symmetric sphaleron solutions of the Skyrme model

Abstract

Static axially symmetric sphaleron-type solutions describing chains of interpolating Skyrmion-anti-Skyrmions have been constructed numerically. The configurations are characterized by two integers n and m, where n are the winding numbers of the constituent Skyrmion and anti-Skyrmion and the second integer m defines type of the solution, it has zero topological charge for even m and for odd values of m the Skyrmion-anti-Skyrmion chain has topological charge n. For the vanishing mass term we confirm the existence of such chain solutions for winding number |n| ≥ 2. The similarity with monopole-anti-monopole pairs is highlighted. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd.