In a seminal paper in 1976, Tom Kibble first proposed the notion of cosmic strings, and a rich legacy of research in the field has followed over the past fifty years. A central goal of this Universe Unravelled workshop will be to revisit unresolved questions about cosmic strings that underpin predictions for cosmological observables, ranging from gravitational wave signals to axion masses. The workshop is intended to prioritise discussion with ample time to develop collaborative directions that could advance these outstanding challenges. The workshop is intended to prioritise discussion with ample time to develop collaborative directions that could advance these outstanding challenges.
In broad outline, the programme will include the following topics:
- Retrospective perspectives on cosmic strings: their legacy, observational signatures, and future prospects.
- Cosmic strings dynamics and scaling network evolution: Nambu-Goto and field theory simulations, and their correspondence with analytic modelling, including loops and radiative backreaction.
- Quantifying cosmic string observables: gravitational waves, dark-matter axions, the CMB, and other probes.
- Exploring cosmic string phenomenology: superstring networks, GUT-scale and EW strings, and superconductivity.
- Connections with other topological defects and recent developments.