Symmetric calorons.

Abstract

Calorons (periodic instantons) interpolate between monopoles and instantons, and their holonomy gives approximate Skyrmion configurations. We show that, for each caloron charge N4, there exists a one-parameter family of calorons which are symmetric under subgroups of the three-dimensional rotation group. In each family, the corresponding symmetric monopoles and symmetric instantons occur as limiting cases. Symmetric calorons therefore provide a connection between symmetric monopoles, symmetric instantons and Skyrmions.