Instability and Subsequent Evolution of Electroweak Bubbles

Abstract

Bubbles in a first-order electroweak phase transition are nucleated with radii $R_0$ and expand with velocity $v$. If $v$ is subsonic, a bubble becomes unstable to non-spherical perturbations when its radius is roughly $10^4\, R_0$. These perturbations accelerate the transition, and the effective velocity of bubble growth rapidly becomes supersonic. The transition should subsequently proceed spherically via detonation. If for some reason the onset of detonation is postponed, the surface area of the bubbles may be enhanced by $10^5$. We discuss consequences for electroweak baryogenesis.