Sphaleron relaxation temperatures

Abstract

The transition of sphaleron processes from non-equilibrium to thermal equilibrium in the early Universe is examined in detail. The relations between the damping rates and frequencies of the weak and QCD sphaleron degeneracy parameters are determined in general form and the respective relaxation temperatures are calculated in specific scenarios. It is pointed out that the gauge coupling constants running with energy produces strong and weak sphaleron rates closer to each other at very high temperatures and makes them larger in supersymmetric models than in the standard model case.