Global Strings and the Aharonov-Bohm Effect

Abstract

When a fermion interacts with a global vortex or cosmic string a solenoidal "gauge" field is induced. This results in a non-trivial scattering cross-section. For scalars and non-relativistic fermions the cross-section is similar to that of Aharonov and Bohm, but with corrections. A cosmological example is compared to one in liquid He${}^3$-A and important differences are discovered.

Comments: 11 pages, DAMTP 93-50