Vortices In 3He-B

Abstract

AbstractThis chapter discusses the topology of singular topological defects — defects with singular core of coherence length size — in 3He-B and in quantum chromodynamics, such as conventional mass vortices, spin vortices, axion and pion strings, hedgehogs, monopoles, and vortons. The Casimir force between spin and mass vortices in 3He-B leads to formation of a composite defect — spin-mass vortex, which is stabilized in rotating cryostat. Spin-mass vortex serves as string terminating topological soliton. Topological confinement of two spin-mass vortices by soliton leads to another composite object observed in 3He-B — doubly quantized vortex. The chapter also discusses the symmetry of defects, the interplay of symmetry and topology, the symmetry of hedgehogs and monopoles, spherically symmetric objects in superfluids, enhanced superfluidity in the core of hedgehog, spontaneously broken parity, and axial symmetry in the core of 3He-B vortices. Vortex with spontaneously broken parity in the core represents analog of Witten superconducting cosmic string. The observed twist of the core corresponds to supercurrent along the Witten string.