Cosmic strings in the complex symmetron model

We study cosmic strings in the complex symmetron model, a scalar-tensor theory with a spontaneously broken local <a:math xmlns:a="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><a:mi>U</a:mi><a:mo stretchy="false">(</a:mo><a:mn>1</a:mn><a:mo stretchy="false">)</a:mo></a:math> symmetry in low matter density regions. Using numerical simulations, we show that these strings preferentially attach to matter halos, leading to the stabilization of string loops. While the requirement for screening of fifth-force interactions in the solar-system limits observable signatures in theories with universal coupling to matter, analogous topological defects in the dark sector may still influence cosmic structure formation, offering a novel avenue to constrain dark-sector interactions.