Narcissistic Skyrmions

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Claude Warnick, University of Cambridge
Fine Hall 314

The Skyrme model is a nonlinear sigma-model whose topologically non-trivial target space allows the existence of so-called topological solitons. Such solitons were proposed by Skyrme to model nuclear matter. In this talk I will review the history of the model and present recent work with Gary Gibbons and Willie Wong ruling out the existence of solitons with a planar reflection symmetry. In particular, I will show that a Skyrme soliton is attracted to its mirror image, preventing a static equilibrium.