Inhomogeneous tachyon decay, light-cone structure, and D-brane network problem in tachyon cosmology

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Abstract
We investigate light-cone structure on the world volume of an unstable D-brane with a tachyon decaying inhomogeneously by using a field theoretical description. It is shown that (i) light cones governing open strings are narrower than those governing closed strings and will eventually collapse inward in all directions except at kinks, where the tachyon remains at the top of its potential, and that (ii) light cones governing open strings at a kink will be narrowed only in the direction perpendicular to the kink surface. It is also shown that (iii) future-directed light cones governing open strings near a kink are tilted towards the kink, compared with those governing closed strings. Result (i) implies that open strings except at kinks are redshifted, compared with closed strings, and will eventually cease to be dynamical. On the other hand, result (ii) shows that open strings on a kink surface can move freely along the kink surface and are dynamical but do not feel the existence of the spatial dimension perpendicular to the kink surface. Result (iii) indicates that open strings near a kink have a tendency to move towards the kink. Hence, the light-cone structure vividly illustrates how open strings behave during the dynamical formation of a kink. We also discuss about a possibility that the early universe has a network of various dimensional D-branes, black-branes, and tachyon matter. A problem associated with the network and a possible solution to the problem are discussed.

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