Dynamical vacuum selection in field theories with flat directions in their potential

Abstract

In this paper we show that in field theories with topologically stable kinks and flat directions in their potential, a so-called dynamical vacuum selection (DVS) takes place in the non-trivial, soliton sector of the theory. We explore this DVS mechanism using a specific model. For this model we show that there is only a static kink solution when very specific boundary conditions are met, very similar to the case of vortices in two dimensions. In the case of other boundary conditions a scalar cloud is expelled to infinity, leaving a static kink behind. Other circumstances under which DVS may or may not take place are discussed as well.