O(4) texture with a cosmological constant

Abstract

We investigate O(4) textures in a background with a positive cosmological constant. We find static solutions which co-move with the expanding background. There exists a solution in which the scalar field is regular at the horizon. This solution has a noninteger winding number smaller than one. There also exist solutions in which scalar-field derivatives are singular at the horizon. Such solutions can complete one winding within the horizon. If the winding number is larger than some critical value, static solutions including the regular one are unstable under perturbations.

Comments: 25 pages, revtex, 6 eps figures