Critical Collapse and Solitons in Classical Conformal Field Theory

Abstract

We study the fate of a localized wavepacket in a classical conformal field theory with attractive interaction V(phi) = -lambda/4 phi^4. As potential is unbounded from below, homogeneous field collapses to singularity in finite time. However, finite size wavepacket can disperse before it collapses. Competition between the two outcomes results in a critical behavior, much like the one seen in gravitational collapse. We calculate the critical exponents, and show that there are static regular soliton-like solutions in the theory.