Proton decay catalyzed by superconducting cosmic strings

Abstract

Topological defects which form in a grand unification phase transition can catalyze proton decay. For monopoles the catalysis cross section is amplified to a value many orders of magnitude larger than the geometrical cross section. For non-superconducting cosmic strings there is no amplification of the cross section section since there are no long range forces. Here we establish that - despite the presence of long range electromagnetic fields - the cross section for uncharged superconducting cosmic strings is the geometrical cross section. Hence, in contrast to the case of monopoles, there are no important new consequences for or constraints from cosmology.