Vortex condensates for the SU(3) Chern-Simons theory

We investigate SU(3)-periodic vortices in the self-dual Chern-Simons theory proposed by Dunne in [13, 15]. At the first admissible non-zero energy lev el E = 2 pi, and for each (broken and unbroken) vacuum state phi((0)) of th e system, we find a family of periodic vortices asymptotically gauge equiva lent to phi((0)), as the Chern-Simons coupling parameter k -> 0. At higher energy levels, we show the existence of multiple gauge distinct periodic vo rtices with at least one of them asymptotically gauge equivalent to the (br oken) principal embedding vacuum, when k -> 0.