Phase transition dynamics in the hot Abelian Higgs model - art. no. 065016

We present a detailed numerical study of the equilibrium and nonequilibrium dynamics of the phase transition in the finite-temperature Abelian Higgs m odel. Our simulations use classical equations of motion both with and witho ut hard-thermal-loop corrections, which take into account the leading quant um effects. From the equilibrium real-time correlators. we determine the pl asmon frequency, the plasmon damping rate and the Landau damping rate, find ing significant nonperturbative effects in the last two quantities. We also find that, close to the phase transition, the static magnetic field correl ator shows power-law magnetic screening at long distances. The information about the damping rates allows us to derive a quantitative prediction for t he number density of topological defects formed in a phase transition, We t est this prediction in a nonequilibrium simulation and show that the releva nt time scale for defect formation is given by the Landau damping rate.