Perturbations of giant magnons and single spikes in $\mathbb R \times S^2$

Abstract

Perturbations of giant magnons and single spikes in a 2 + 1 dimensional R × S 2 background spacetime are analysed. Using the form of the giant magnon solution in the Jevicki-Jin gauge, the well-known Jacobi equation for small normal deformations of an embedded time-like surface are written down. Surprisingly, this equation reduces to a simple wave equation in a Minkowski background. The finiteness of perturbations and the ensuing stability of such giant magnons under small deformations are then discussed. It turns out that only the zero mode has finite deformations and is stable. Thereafter, we move on to explore the single spike solution in the Jevicki-Jin gauge. We obtain and solve the perturbation equation numerically and address stability issues.