PHASE-TRANSITIONS IN THE CORE OF GLOBAL EMBEDDED DEFECTS - ART. NO. 083505

We demonstrate the existence of global monopole and string configurati ons whose care exhibits a phase structure. We determine the critical v alues of parameters for which the transition from the symmetric to the non-symmetric phase occurs and discuss the dynamics implied by the no n-symmetric cores for defect interactions. These effects are relevant and experimentally observable for condensed matter systems such as liq uid crystals and He-3. We model phase transitions in the core of globa l embedded topological defects by identifying the relevant parameters with the vacuum expectation value of a dynamical scalar field. Finally , we argue that superheavy defects that undergo a core phase transitio n in the very early universe provide a novel realization for topologic al inflation. [S0556-2821(98)06818-0].