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# Charge Violation and Alice Behavior in Global and Textured Strings

## I Introduction

Among the defects created in symmetry-breaking phase transitions are Alice strings. Like monopoles , Alice strings obstruct the global extension of unbroken symmetries, making them multivalued when parallel transported around the string. This algebraic obstruction has two prominent physical consequences. First, it produces nonconservation of the associated charges under Aharonov-Bohm scattering around the string. Second, it induces topologically stable point defects, which are themselves twisted loops of Alice string.

These Alice features were first described for gauged strings, where a charged condensate winds asymptotically due to gauge flux on the string. The gauge flux acts asymptotically on all charged particles in the same way, through the Wilson line $`U(\phi )`$. Thus the condensate’s winding, which makes Alice symmetries multivalued, is communicated to all charged particles circumnavigating the string. This communication induces both results above: Aharonov-Bohm scattering around the string changes both charge and monopole number. Loops of string, which leave charge and monopole number well-defined asymptotically, thus support deposited charge (“Cheshire charge”) and deposited monopole number.  We have recently established, through topological arguments, that Alice loops can always carry such deposited monopole number by twisting.

More recent work confirms that Alice phenomena also occur for global strings.  Such strings arise when global symmetries — describing flavor, chiral, or condensed matter degeneracies — break down. Two types of global strings can form: divergent strings, which wind nontrivially far from the string and thus have logarithmically divergent tension; and textured strings, which approach constant field values asymptotically, but carry topological winding in their finite tension cores.

We note here that divergent global strings inherit their Alice characteristics from the gauged and textured cases. Their topological structure coincides with the gauged case: therefore the same topological arguments identify twisted Alice loops with global monopoles.  Their couplings to fundamental charged particles are the same as those of their textured cousins. Our careful Aharonov-Bohm analysis of these interactions shows that divergent strings induce an effective Wilson line for point charges, usually equivalent to the Wilson line for the gauged case. Thus divergent global Alice strings possess the entire constellation of Alice features: charge-altering Aharonov-Bohm scattering (first noted in , ), as well as twisted loops which are point defects.

Recently Benson, Manohar and Saadi found textured global strings with the same features.  At finite radius, their strings alter charges of particles that Aharonov-Bohm scatter around them. They also form twisted loops which are skyrmions, just as gauged Alice strings form twisted loops which are monopoles.

We show here that these Alice properties emerge generically for textured Alice strings. The result is striking, as it stems from very different physics than that of the the gauged case. The topology differs: gauged strings have nontrivial first homotopy group $`\pi _1`$, and form twisted loops with nontrivial $`\pi _2`$; while textured strings have nontrivial $`\pi _2`$, and form twisted loops with nontrivial $`\pi _3`$. Gauged strings vary nontrivially at infinite radius, yielding long-range flux-mediated interactions; while textured strings are asymptotically constant, yielding short-range direct interactions. Yet both are line defects with the Alice constellation of features: they induce apparent charge violation in Aharonov-Bohm scattering of charged particles (at least at finite scattering distances), and they form twisted loops that are topological point defects.

We demonstrate these results below as follows. The divergent global Alice string has the simplest structure, and thus appears in section II. Here we construct the divergent Alice string, assuming that the string couples naturally to fundamental charges via effective mass terms. We then show how global Aharonov-Bohm scattering converts such couplings into an effective charge-violating Wilson line related to that of the gauged case. This analysis generalizes earlier work of McGraw , and lets us develop tools for studying textured string scattering in a simpler context.

We then consider the textured Alice string. We construct it topologically in section III, again assuming representations with effective mass couplings to the fundamental charges. Section IV explores the scattering of point charges in the textured string background. This scattering — which generically mixes degenerate states through a nonabelian Aharonov-Bohm effect — has a rich structure. It induces an effective Wilson line $`U(r,\phi )`$ which is radially dependent: while trivial at infinite radius, it becomes a multivalued group rotation at finite radii. This induces multiple effects. At finite radius, eigenstates of locally unbroken charge alter their charge, in an $`r`$-dependent way, in circumnavigating the string. Even asymptotic unbroken charges can interact non-trivially with the string, by approaching it, circumnavigating it at finite radius $`r_o`$, and then returning with altered charge.

Finally, in section V, we discuss the connection — inherited from the Hopf fibration — between twisted textured strings and skyrmions (or textures). We note that the manner in which the string twists in internal space along the string loop is different from the gauged case: while the gauged case involves a string whose plane of rotation rotates along the loop, the textured string rotates always in the same plane, but with an offset angle increasing along the loop.

We review our conclusions in section VI. Intuition-building examples are developed throughout the text, including the original Alice symmetry-breaking pattern proposed by Schwarz , patterns realizable when a larger $`SO(6)`$ symmetry breaks down, and the Benson-Manohar-Saadi textured string involving Majorana interactions with point charges. Of these, the first is most testable, as the global symmetry-breaking transition responsible for the nematic phase in liquid crystals; the others are motivated by particle physics GUT phase transitions.

## II Divergent Global Alice Strings

Consider a global symmetry group $`G`$ broken to a residual subgroup $`H`$ by some condensate $`\varphi `$. Divergent strings form under the same topological conditions as gauged strings: whenever the vacuum manifold $`G/H`$ of degenerate $`\varphi `$ orientations has nontrivial loops $`\pi _1(G/H)`$. Such loops determine the string’s topologically nontrivial boundary conditions: that is, the winding of $`\varphi `$ asymptotically. We parametrize this winding via the angle-dependent $`G`$ rotation $`U(\phi )`$ which generates it:

$$\varphi (\phi )=U(\phi )\varphi _o.$$
(II.1)
Here $`U(\phi )`$ acts on $`\varphi _o`$ according to its group representation. Recall that, in the gauged case, $`U(\phi )`$ is the Wilson line due to the string’s nonabelian flux. Here, it is the same group rotation, inducing the same condensate winding, but with divergent gradient energy cost per unit length.

By the exact sequence for $`\pi _1(G/H)`$, $`U(\phi )`$ has two topologically nontrivial forms: it can be a nontrivial loop in $`G`$, which cannot lie wholly in $`H`$; or it can be a path in $`G`$, ending on some element $`h_o`$ in a disconnected component of $`H`$.

To find an Alice string, which makes some $`H`$ generators multivalued, we must adopt the second possibility. This is because the symmetries $`H`$ leaving $`\varphi (\phi )`$ invariant, and their generators $`T_h`$, are parallel transported around the string:

$`H(\phi )`$ $`=`$ $`U(\phi )H_oU^1(\phi )`$ (II.2)
$`T_h(\phi )`$ $`=`$ $`U(\phi )T_{h,o}U^1(\phi ).`$ (II.3)
Thus $`T_h(\phi )`$ becomes multivalued only when a nontrivial $`U(2\pi )`$ fails to commute with $`T_{h,o}`$.

Thus divergent strings are Alice, with multivalued generators $`T_h(\phi )`$ , whenever $`U(2\pi )`$ is an element $`h_o`$ which 1) lies in a disconnected component of $`H_o`$, and 2) doesn’t commute with Alice generators $`T_{h,o}`$. We note further that $`U(\phi )`$ rotates the condensate, and connects disconnected components of $`H`$, so that it must be generated, at least partially, by broken symmetry generators $`T_b`$. To minimize string energy, we take $`U(\phi )`$ to be generated uniformly by a single broken generator $`T_b`$:

$`U(\phi )`$ $`=`$ $`e^{i\phi T_b}`$ (II.4)
$`=`$ $`h_0\text{at}\phi =2\pi .`$ (II.5)
Given this construction of the divergent global Alice string, existence of global monopoles formed by twisted string loops is guaranteed by . Charge violation due to Aharonov-Bohm scattering requires more careful analysis. Fundamental fermions $`\psi `$ carry charges

$$Q_h=d^3x\psi ^{}T_h\psi $$
(II.6)
and interact with the condensate $`\varphi `$ through effective mass terms of either Dirac or Majorana form:

$$_{int}=\{\begin{array}{cc}m\overline{\psi }\varphi \psi +h.c.\hfill & \text{Dirac}\hfill \\ m\overline{\psi }\varphi \psi _c+h.c.\hfill & \text{Majorana}\hfill \end{array}.$$
(II.7)
Here the condensate field $`\varphi `$ is in a group representation transforming either as

$$\varphi \{\begin{array}{cc}g\varphi g^{}\hfill & \text{Dirac}\hfill \\ g\varphi g^T\hfill & \text{Majorana}\hfill \end{array}.$$
(II.8)
The Dirac mass term is simpler and generalizes readily to charged bosons, so we focus on it here. The Majorana interaction arises in some symmetry breakdowns of $`SU(n)`$ groups, as for the textured global string model of Benson, Manohar and Saadi. We return to its role in Aharonov-Bohm scattering in section IV.

For the Dirac-type interaction, the fermion $`\psi `$ has a spatially varying effective mass matrix

$$=U(\phi )\varphi _oU^1(\phi )$$
(II.9)
outside the global string. This determines the fermion’s behavior in Aharonov-Bohm scattering around the string. For, under Aharonov-Bohm scattering, a fermion in mass eigenstate $`\psi _a`$ does three things: 1) it tracks the local mass eigenstate $`\psi _a(\phi )`$; 2) it acquires the time evolution phase $`e^{im_at}`$; and 3) it acquires a “Berry’s phase.” This Berry’s phase is generally nonabelian, as the residual symmetries $`H`$ induce fermion mass degeneracies. Thus $`\psi _a(\phi )`$ mixes with other degenerate eigenstates $`\psi _b(\phi )`$, according to the nonabelian Wilson line

$$W(\phi )=e^{^\phi 𝑑\phi ^{}A_\phi ^{}}$$
(II.10)
with the (matrix) gauge field $`A_\phi ^{}`$ given by

$$(A_\phi )_{ab}=\psi _b(\phi )|_\phi |\psi _a(\phi )$$
(II.11)
in the degenerate subspace. Altogether, then, a fermion $`\psi _a(\phi =0)`$ becomes, after circumnavigating the string,

$$\psi _a^{}=e^{im_at}W(2\pi )\psi _a(2\pi ).$$
(II.12)
For the divergent Alice string, the spatially varying mass eigenstates are

$$\psi _a(\phi )=U(\phi )\psi _a,$$
(II.13)
where $`\psi _a`$ is an eigenstate of the matrix $`\varphi _o`$. Since $`U(2\pi )=h_o`$, the mass eigenstate $`\psi _a(\phi )`$ is multivalued whenever $`h_o`$ acts nontrivially on $`\psi _a`$. (Typically, such multivaluedness consists only of multiplying $`\psi _a`$ by a phase — for a $`Z_2`$ Alice string, a minus sign.)

We now consider the nonabelian Berry’s phase for our minimal energy divergent Alice string (II.5). For divergent strings, this Berry’s phase is either trivial, or cancels any non-intrinsic multivaluedness in our definition of the mass eigenstate $`\psi _a(\phi )`$. (For example, setting $`\psi _a(\phi )=e^{i\phi /2}\psi _a`$, an unphysical multivaluedness, induces compensating Berry’s phase $`W(\phi )=e^{+i\phi /2}`$, showing the physical mass eigenstates to be truly constant.) Because the nonabelian Berry’s phase will have much richer and more subtle behavior for textured Alice strings, we introduce it carefully here.

For our minimal divergent Alice string (II.5), equation (II.11) gives a Berry phase determined by

$$(A_\phi )_{ab}=i\psi _b(\phi )|T_b|\psi _a(\phi )=i\psi _b|T_b|\psi _a$$
(II.14)
using (II.13). Note that $`T_b`$ is the broken symmetry generator generating $`U(\phi )`$ — and thus both string and mass eigenstate winding — while the matrix element is taken between degenerate states.

Mathematically, the broken symmetry generator $`T_b`$ can act on state $`|\psi _a`$ in one of three ways. First it can annihilate it, leaving the mass eigenstate (II.13) spatially invariant with no Berry’s phase above. Second, and most generically, it can rotate $`|\psi _a`$ out of the degenerate mass subspace. (Note that unbroken generators rotate $`|\psi _a`$ into degenerate states, while broken generators typically rotate $`|\psi _a`$ into nondegenerate ones.) In this case, $`T_b|\psi _a`$ has no component within the degenerate subspace, so the Berry’s phase above vanishes. Here the mass eigenstate $`\psi _a(\phi )`$ does vary spatially, and any apparent multivaluedness is physical. In the third case, the rotated state $`T_b|\psi _a`$ has components in the degenerate subspace. By basis choice we diagonalize $`T_b`$ within the degenerate subspace, taking $`T_b|\psi _a|\psi _a`$ there. This produces an overall numeric phase in Berry’s phase $`W(\phi )`$ , one that exactly cancels an overall numeric phase in $`\psi _a(\phi )=U(\phi )\psi _a`$. This shows that $`T_b`$’s action in the degenerate subspace is spurious, causing a nonphysical phase variation in $`\psi _a(\phi )`$ which is eliminated via the self-consistent Berry’s phase approach.

Thus, in circumnavigating the divergent global string, fermion mass eigenstates are always acted on by the effective Wilson loop $`W(2\pi )U(2\pi )`$. Here $`U(2\pi )`$ is the Wilson loop for the gauge case. $`W(2\pi )`$, the nonabelian Berry’s phase, is nontrivial only if the (broken) string generator $`T_b`$ fails to rotate the mass eigenstate entirely out of its degenerate subspace. In that uncommon case, $`W(2\pi )`$ cancels any nonphysical phase which creeps into the Wilson loop $`U(2\pi )`$.

Behind our calculation of fermion scattering lies the physical question, “Is charge conservation violated in Aharonov-Bohm scattering around the divergent global Alice string?” Details are model-dependent, but the mass eigenstate scattering above lays the foundation for possible charge violation. This is because the effective Wilson loop, $`W(2\pi )U(2\pi )=W(2\pi )h_o`$, makes only some mass eigenstates multivalued, while others remain single-valued. Thus a charge eigenstate

$$|q=\underset{\mathrm{single}}{}c_a|\psi _a+\underset{\mathrm{multi}}{}c_b|\psi _b,$$
(II.15)
where the first sum ranges over single-valued mass eigenstates, the second over multivalued ones, becomes

$$|q^{}=\underset{\mathrm{single}}{}c_a|\psi _a+\underset{\mathrm{multi}}{}c_b^{}|\psi _b,$$
(II.16)
after circumnavigating the string. Typically, $`c_b^{}`$ differ from $`c_b`$ by a phase. Thus, so long as the charge eigenstate has both single- and multivalued mass eigenstate components, the scattered state is physically distinct, and carries distinct charge, from the initial $`|q`$. This means that charges alter, just as in the gauged case, when Aharonov Bohm scattered around the divergent global Alice string. In the usual case where $`W(2\pi )=\text{1l}`$, it is precisely those charges associated with Alice generators $`T_{ho}`$ — which do not commute with the Wilson loop $`U(2\pi )`$ — which may be altered. For in this case, the effective Wilson loop is just the gauge Wilson loop, $`U(2\pi )`$, and the Alice charge eigenstates obey

$`T_{ho}|q`$ $`=`$ $`q|q`$ (II.17)
$`T_{ho}|q^{}=T_{ho}U(2\pi )|q`$ $`=`$ $`q|q^{}+\text{[}T_{ho},U(2\pi )\text{]}|q^{},`$ (II.18)
Thus, in this usual case, all Alice charges not annihilated by $`\text{[}T_{ho},U(2\pi )\text{]}`$ are nonconserved in scattering around the divergent global Alice string.

### A The Canonical Divergent Global Alice String

We illustrate this general formalism with the simplest example, the Schwarz Alice string, whose scattering in the divergent global string case was considered by McGraw.  Here $`G`$ is $`SO(3)`$, and the Higgs $`\varphi `$ transforms as a matrix and interacts with fundamental fermions through Dirac mass terms. $`\varphi `$ develops the vev

$$\varphi =\mathrm{diag}(1,1,2),$$
(II.19)
with an $`O(2)`$ residual symmetry $`H`$ containing z-rotations $`R_z(\alpha )`$ and the discrete symmetry element

$$h_o=R_x(\pi )=\mathrm{diag}(1,1,1).$$
(II.20)
$`\pi _1(G/H)=Z_2`$ so we have global $`Z_2`$ strings generated by

$$U(\phi )=R_x(\phi /2)$$
(II.21)
with $`U(2\pi )=h_o`$. This string is Alice, as $`U(2\pi )`$ fails to commute with the unbroken symmetry generator $`T_z`$; in fact, on parallel transport around the string,

$$T_zU(2\pi )T_zU^1(2\pi )=T_z.$$
(II.22)
We now show that this formal Alice property yields physical Alice behavior — with twisted Alice string loops forming monopoles, and charge-violating Aharonov Bohm scattering. As always for divergent global strings, twisted loops form monopoles due to the arguments of . Charge violation occurs because some fermion mass eigenstates are double-valued; in particular, we have spatially varying mass eigenstates

$`\{|\psi _a(\phi )\}`$ $`=`$ $`R_x(\phi /2)\{\left(\begin{array}{c}1\\ \end{array}\right),\left(\begin{array}{c}\\ 1\end{array}\right),\left(\begin{array}{c}\\ \\ 1\end{array}\right)\}`$ (II.32)
$`=`$ $`\{\left(\begin{array}{c}1\\ \end{array}\right),\left(\begin{array}{c}\\ \mathrm{cos}(\phi /2)\\ \mathrm{sin}(\phi /2)\end{array}\right),\left(\begin{array}{c}\\ \hfill \mathrm{sin}(\phi /2)\\ \hfill \mathrm{cos}(\phi /2)\end{array}\right)\}.`$ (II.42)
Note that the first two mass eigenstates are degenerate, while the last two are double-valued. The nonabelian Berry’s phase vanishes, as the string generator $`T_x`$ does not connect any degenerate mass eigenstates. Thus this example has the same effective Wilson loop $`U(2\pi )`$ as in the gauged case, making two of three mass eigenstates double-valued. As expected, fermions reverse charge in circumnavigating the global string, for charge eigenstates

$$|\pm =\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}\left(\begin{array}{c}\hfill 1\\ \hfill \pm i\end{array}\right)|0=\left(\begin{array}{c}\\ \\ \hfill 1\end{array}\right)$$
(II.43)
scatter as $`|\pm |,|0|0`$ in traversing the string. This can be seen directly from the action of the effective Wilson loop $`U(2\pi )=h_o`$ on the charge eigenstates, or from the underlying spatial variation of the constituent mass eigenstates.

## III Building Textured Alice Strings

Again consider the breaking of a global symmetry $`G`$ to residual subgroup $`H`$ by Higgs condensate $`\varphi `$. Finite tension strings form only if they are textured; that is, if they approach a constant vev $`\varphi _o`$ asymptotically and carry topological winding in their cores. Such winding occurs whenever the vacuum manifold has nontrivial homotopy $`\pi _2(G/H)`$. This describes the condensate’s nontrivial variation through degenerate vacuum states in the plane transverse to the string; because each point at spatial infinity approaches the same vacuum state $`\varphi _o`$, the transverse plane becomes identified with a sphere $`S^2`$, and has topologically nontrivial vacuum configurations classified by $`\pi _2(G/H)`$.

We display the condensate’s spatial variation in Figure 1, noting that it is generated by some group rotation $`U(r,\phi )`$ acting on the single asymptotic vev $`\varphi _o`$:

$$\varphi (r,\phi )=U(r,\phi )\varphi _o.$$
(III.44)
$`U(r,\phi )`$ acts on $`\varphi _o`$ according to its group representation, and varies over $`G`$ in some single-valued, nonsingular way. By the exact sequence for $`\pi _2(G/H)`$, $`U(r,\phi )`$ has two topologically nontrivial forms: it can be a nontrivial map in $`G`$, which cannot lie wholly in $`H`$; or it can be a map in $`G`$, ending asymptotically on a nontrivial loop $`h(\phi )`$ in $`H`$. Again, to find Alice behavior, we restrict ourselves to the second case, where $`U(r,\phi )`$ approaches a nontrivial loop $`h(\phi )`$ in H at large $`r`$. (Thus $`H`$ must have nontrivial $`\pi _1`$.) Remarkably, even though the map $`U(r,\phi )`$ is single-valued, it can cause charges to become multivalued, or Alice, as we shall see by construction.

Construction could, of course, vary greatly by model; here, however, we suggest a useful ansatz. Say our nontrivial loop $`h(\phi )`$ is generated by unbroken generator $`T_h`$, which anticommutes with some group element $`b_o`$. (This happens whenever $`G`$ contains $`SU(2)`$ or $`SO(3)`$ subgroups, but could occur for more exotic symmetry breaking patterns as well.) Taking $`b_o`$ to be generated by broken generator $`T_b`$,

$$b_o=e^{iF_oT_b}h(\phi )=e^{i\phi T_h},$$
(III.45)
a nontrivial map $`U(r,\phi )`$ is given by

$$U(r,\phi )=h(\phi /2)e^{iF(r)T_b}h(\phi /2)\text{where}F(r)\{\begin{array}{cc}0\hfill & r\mathrm{}\hfill \\ F_o\hfill & r0\hfill \end{array}$$
(III.46)
Note that $`U=b_o`$ at the origin, since $`b_oh=h^1b_o`$, and approaches the nontrivial loop $`h(\phi )`$ at infinite radius. The only caveat is that $`U(r,\phi )`$ must be single-valued. This could occur if $`h(\pi )`$ commutes with $`T_b`$, a possibility we exploit in the canonical Alice model. For our GUT-inspired models, however, we insure single-valuedness by taking $`T_b`$ and $`T_h`$ to lay within a partially broken $`SU(2)`$ subalgebra. We then choose Lie algebra bases so that the generators $`T_b`$ and $`T_h`$ anticommute, with

$$e^{iF(r)T_b}=\mathrm{cos}F(r)\text{1l}i\mathrm{sin}F(r)T_b$$
(III.47)
within the subspace where $`T_b`$ and $`T_h`$ are nontrivial. (We note that we can make these choices whenever $`G`$ includes $`SU(N)`$ factors, for $`N2`$, or $`SO(N)`$ factors, for $`N4`$, as we show by construction below). Thus, for these models,

$$U(r,\phi )=h(\phi /2)e^{iF(r)T_b}h(\phi /2)=\mathrm{cos}F(r)h(\phi )i\mathrm{sin}F(r)T_b,$$
(III.48)
within the subspace where $`T_b`$ and $`T_h`$ are nontrivial. This gives the loop $`h(\phi )`$ at $`r\mathrm{}`$, and anticommuting broken group element $`b_o`$ at the origin, where $`F=F_o=\pi /2`$. Moreover, this map is single-valued and nonsingular everywhere, and so acts on $`\varphi _o`$ to create a nontrivial textured string whenever the loop $`h(\phi )`$ is nontrivial in $`H`$.

Thus far, our ansatz constructs a nontrivial textured string. When is this string Alice; that is, when does an unbroken generator $`T_h^{}(r)`$ determine non-conserved charge eigenstates in circumnavigating the string? Surprisingly, the answer is nontrivial, and depends on the nonabelian Berry phase to resolve ambiguities. Formally, unbroken generators are parallel transported throughout the textured string:

$$T_h(r,\phi )=U(r,\phi )T_{h,o}U^1(r,\phi ).$$
(III.49)
Naively, since $`U(r,2\pi )=U(r,0)`$, all generators are single-valued; none would appear to be Alice. Closer analysis, however, in all our examples below and in section IV, reveals that any generator $`T_h^{}`$ which fails to commute with $`U(r,\phi )`$, at any angle $`\phi `$, is Alice: its charges alter when Aharonov-Bohm scattered around the string at finite, nonzero radius.

We construct textured Alice strings in three models below, following this ansatz. In the first, a symmetry breakdown of $`SO(N)`$, the condensate $`\varphi `$ interacts with charged fermions through a Dirac mass coupling. The second, the Benson, Manohar, Saadi textured string, involves $`SU(N)`$ symmetry breakdown and Majorana mass couplings. Finally, we construct a textured Alice string in the canonical Schwarz model itself, which exploits subtleties of the embedding of $`O(2)`$ in $`SO(3)`$.

### A $`SO(N)`$ symmetry breakdown and the $`SO(6)`$ model

Let the unbroken symmetry group $`G`$ be $`SO(N)`$, with Higgs $`\varphi `$ transforming in the adjoint and coupling to fermions $`\psi `$ through Dirac mass terms (equations (II.8) and (II.7)). For $`N4`$, we can construct a textured string varying over an $`SO(4)`$ subspace, which makes some unbroken generators $`T_h^{}`$ Alice; we show the case with $`N=6`$ for definiteness.

$`\varphi `$ develops the vev

$$\varphi =\mathrm{diag}(1,1,1,1,1,1)$$
(III.50)
with residual symmetry $`H=SO(3)\times SO(3)\times Z_2`$ of rotations in the upper left $`3\times 3`$ block, rotations in the lower right $`3\times 3`$ block, and the discrete element $`\text{1l}`$. Now consider the $`4\times 4`$ subspace of rows and columns 2 through 5, where $`\varphi `$ assumes values

$$\varphi _{\mathrm{}}=\mathrm{diag}(1,1,1,1).$$
(III.51)
It is in this subspace, of an $`SO(4)`$ theory broken to $`SO(2)\times SO(2)`$, where our textured string will vary. We therefore reindex these rows from 1 to 4 in what follows.

A natural basis for $`so(4)`$ in our subspace is the set $`\{T_{ij}\}`$ generating rotations in the six planes $`ij`$. However we exploit the basis

$$\begin{array}{ccc}\hfill J_1=T_{12}+T_{34}& \hfill J_2=T_{23}+T_{14}& \hfill J_3=T_{13}T_{24}\\ \hfill K_1=T_{12}T_{34}& \hfill K_2=T_{23}T_{14}& \hfill K_3=T_{13}+T_{24}\end{array},$$
(III.52)
which makes the isomorphism $`SO(4)=SU(2)\times SU(2)`$ clear:

$$\text{[}J_i,J_j\text{]}=2iϵ_{ijk}J_k\text{[}K_i,K_j\text{]}=2iϵ_{ijk}K_k\text{[}J_i,K_j\text{]}=0.$$
(III.53)
Moreover, the sets $`\{J_i\}`$ and $`\{K_i\}`$ truly behave like Pauli matrices: anticommuting among themselves, and squaring to 1l within the 4-dimensional subspace, so that

$$e^{i\alpha J_i}=\mathrm{cos}\alpha \text{1l}i\mathrm{sin}\alpha J_i$$
(III.54)
within the $`\mathrm{}`$-subspace.

Now consider the $`so(3)`$ subalgebra of $`g`$ generated by $`\{J_i\}`$. Only $`J_1`$ remains unbroken by the vev $`\varphi _{\mathrm{}}`$; it generates the nontrivial loop

$$h(\phi )=e^{i\phi J_1}$$
(III.55)
in our full unbroken symmetry group $`SO(3)\times SO(3)\times Z_2`$. Since $`J_2`$ anticommutes with $`J_1`$, the map

$$U(r,\phi )=h(\phi /2)e^{iF(r)J_2}h(\phi /2)=\mathrm{cos}F(r)h(\phi )i\mathrm{sin}F(r)J_2$$
(III.56)
in the $`SO(4)`$ subspace, with

$$F(r)\{\begin{array}{cc}0\hfill & r\mathrm{}\hfill \\ \pi /2\hfill & r0\hfill \end{array}$$
(III.57)
acts on $`\varphi _{\mathrm{}}`$ to create a nontrivial textured string. This is because $`U(r,\phi )`$ is single-valued and nonsingular, giving $`b_o=iJ_2`$ at the origin and the nontrivial loop $`h(\phi )`$ asymptotically.

Because $`\varphi `$ transforms in the adjoint, the textured string looks like

$$\varphi (r,\phi )=U(r,\phi )\varphi _oU^1(r,\phi ).$$
(III.58)
We can also use the unbroken symmetry to rewrite this as

$$\varphi (r,\phi )=h(\phi /2)e^{iF(r)J_2}\varphi _oe^{+iF(r)J_2}h^1(\phi /2).$$
(III.59)
We see here how ambiguities arise in establishing the string as Alice. For the first form (III.58) for $`\varphi _{\mathrm{}}`$ encourages us to defines spatially varying mass eigenstates as

$$\psi _a(r,\phi )=U(r,\phi )\psi _a,$$
(III.60)
where $`\psi _a`$ are eigenstates of $`\varphi _o`$. These would be single-valued, implying that no charges are Alice. However, the second form indicates spatially varying mass eigenstates of

$$\psi _a(r,\phi )=h(\phi /2)e^{iF(r)J_2}\psi _a,$$
(III.61)
double-valued for all $`\psi _a`$ in the four-dimensional $`\mathrm{}`$-subspace (and single-valued elsewhere, where $`h(\phi /2)=\text{1l}`$). Thus any charge eigenstates with components straddling the $`\mathrm{}`$ and non-$`\mathrm{}`$ subspaces would appear to be Alice. Careful nonabelian Aharonov-Bohm scattering analysis resolves this ambiguity in section IV, with a physically sensible answer. At the origin (where any angle-dependence would be singular) and at spatial infinity (where the textured string leaves no physical trace, since the vev $`\varphi `$ is constant), no charges are Alice. However, at finite intermediate $`r`$, all charges whose generators $`T_h^{}`$ fail to commute with $`U(r,\phi )`$ become multivalued, or Alice, in a curiously $`r`$-dependent way.

### B $`SU(N)SO(N)`$; the Benson-Manohar-Saadi string

We here review the Benson-Manohar-Saadi string in simplified formalism. Let the unbroken symmetry group $`G`$ be $`SU(N)`$, with Higgs $`\varphi `$ transforming as

$$\varphi g\varphi g^T$$
(III.62)
and coupling to fermions $`\psi `$ through the Majorana mass term (II.7). For $`N2`$, there exists a textured string varying over an $`SU(2)`$ subspace, which makes some unbroken generators $`T_h^{}`$ Alice; we show the case with $`N=3`$ for definiteness.

Here $`\varphi `$ develops the vev

$$\varphi =\text{1l}$$
(III.63)
with residual symmetry $`H=SO(3)`$ of orthogonal rotations ($`h^T=h^1`$). We take the $`SU(3)`$ generators to be

$$\begin{array}{ccc}\text{symmetric: }\hfill & & \sigma _{x(12)},\sigma _{x(23)},\sigma _{x(31)},\sigma _{z(12)},\frac{1}{\sqrt{3}}\mathrm{diag}(1,1,2)\hfill \\ \text{antisymmetric: }\hfill & & \sigma _{y(12)},\sigma _{y(23)},\sigma _{y(31)},\hfill \end{array}$$
(III.64)
where $`\sigma _{x(ij)},\sigma _{y(ij)},\sigma _{z(ij)}`$ denote Pauli matrices in the $`(ij)`$ plane. Under symmetry-breaking, all symmetric generators are broken, all antisymmetric generators unbroken. (This statement generalizes to all $`N3`$, with unbroken subgroup $`SO(N)`$.)

We now construct the textured string in the (12) $`SU(2)`$ subgroup. Here the unbroken generator $`\sigma _{y(12)}`$ generates the nontrivial loop

$$h(\phi )=e^{i\phi \sigma _{y(12)}}$$
(III.65)
and the broken generator $`\sigma _{z(12)}`$ both anticommutes with $`\sigma _{y(12)}`$ and obeys

$$e^{i\alpha \sigma _{z(12)}}=\mathrm{cos}\alpha \text{1l}i\mathrm{sin}\alpha \sigma _{z(12)}$$
(III.66)
in the (12) plane. Thus our ansatz gives a nontrivial textured string generated by

$$U(r,\phi )=h(\phi /2)e^{iF(r)\sigma _{z(12)}}h(\phi /2)=\mathrm{cos}F(r)h(\phi )i\mathrm{sin}F(r)\sigma _{z(12)}$$
(III.67)
in the (12) plane, with

$$F(r)\{\begin{array}{cc}0\hfill & r\mathrm{}\hfill \\ \pi /2\hfill & r0\hfill \end{array}$$
(III.68)
Again $`U(r,\phi )`$ is single-valued and nonsingular, giving $`b_o=i\sigma _{z(12)}`$ at the origin and the nontrivial loop $`h(\phi )`$ asymptotically.

Applying the transformation law (III.62), the textured string looks like

$$\varphi (r,\phi )=U(r,\phi )\varphi _oU^T(r,\phi )=h(\phi /2)e^{2iF(r)\sigma _{z(12)}}h^1(\phi /2).$$
(III.69)
Again, the existence of double-valued mass eigenstates in the (12) plane,

$$\psi _\pm (\phi )=h(\phi /2)\{\left(\begin{array}{c}1\end{array}\right),\left(\begin{array}{c}\\ 1\end{array}\right)\}=\{\left(\begin{array}{c}\mathrm{cos}(\phi /2)\\ \mathrm{sin}(\phi /2)\end{array}\right),\left(\begin{array}{c}\hfill \mathrm{sin}(\phi /2)\\ \hfill \mathrm{cos}(\phi /2)\end{array}\right)\}$$
(III.70)
makes all (13) and (23) unbroken generators appear to be Alice (since the mass eigenstate $`(0,0,1)`$ is spatially invariant). But such omnipresent Alice behavior again cannot be physical — our solution is nonsingular at the origin and constant at spatial infinity, and thus cannot physically cause Alice scattering at those radii.

Again we resolve the conundrum in section IV, via careful nonabelian Aharonov-Bohm scattering analysis. At the origin and at spatial infinity, we show that no charges are Alice. However, at finite intermediate $`r`$, all charges whose generators $`T_h^{}`$ fail to commute with $`U(r,\phi )`$ show $`r`$-dependent Alice behavior.

### C The Canonical Alice model

Surprisingly, the rich laboratory of the original Schwarz model (or nematic liquid crystal) also supports a textured Alice string given by our ansatz. Here, from section II A, $`G`$ is $`SO(3)`$, with the Higgs $`\varphi `$ transforming as a matrix and giving Dirac masses to the fundamental fermions. $`\varphi `$ develops the vev

$$\varphi =\mathrm{diag}(1,1,2),$$
(III.71)
with an $`O(2)`$ residual symmetry $`H`$ containing z-rotations $`R_z(\alpha )`$ and the discrete symmetry element

$$h_o=R_x(\pi )=\mathrm{diag}(1,1,1)$$
(III.72)
which anticommutes with unbroken generator $`T_z`$.

A topological subtlety arises here. From the exact sequence for $`\pi _2(G/H)`$, all nontrivial textured strings are generated by a map $`U(r,\phi )`$ ending on a nontrivial loop $`h(\phi )`$ in $`H`$. Such a map $`U(r,\phi )`$ unwinds the loop in $`H`$ in the larger group $`G`$. For the symmetry breaking at hand, we note that only $`O(2)`$ loops of even winding are unwindable in $`SO(3)`$. Thus, the lowest winding textured string must end on a winding 2 loop in $`O(2)`$,

$$h(\phi )=R_z(2\phi ).$$
(III.73)
Given this, our ansatz gives a lowest winding textured string, with

$$U(r,\phi )=R_z(\phi )R_x(F(r))R_z(\phi )\text{where}F(r)\{\begin{array}{cc}0\hfill & r\mathrm{}\hfill \\ \pi \hfill & r0\hfill \end{array}$$
(III.74)
Note that $`U`$ is manifestly single-valued. It approaches the nontrivial loop $`R_z(2\phi )`$ at infinite radius, and the value $`R_x(\pi )=h_o`$ at the origin, since $`h_oR_z(\phi )=R_z^1(\phi )h_o`$.

$`U`$ determines the textured string

$$\varphi (r,\phi )=U(r,\phi )\varphi _oU^1(r,\phi )=R_z(\phi )R_x(F(r))\varphi _oR_x^1(F(r))R_z^1(\phi ).$$
(III.75)
This determines apparently single-valued mass eigenstates,

$$\{\psi _a(\phi )\}=R_z(\phi )R_x(F(r))\{\left(\begin{array}{c}1\\ \end{array}\right),\left(\begin{array}{c}\\ 1\end{array}\right),\left(\begin{array}{c}\\ \\ 1\end{array}\right)\}.$$
(III.76)
However, degeneracy of the first two eigenstates again forces a careful nonabelian Aharonov-Bohm analysis, which again reveals nontrivial Alice behavior at finite radius.

## IV Charge Scattering by Textured Alice Strings

We have identified three models with textured strings. Each string is generated by the action on a vev $`\varphi _o`$ of a single-valued group map

$$U(r,\phi )=h(\phi /2)e^{iF(r)T_b}h(\phi /2)\text{where}F(r)\{\begin{array}{cc}0\hfill & r\mathrm{}\hfill \\ F_o\hfill & r0\hfill \end{array},$$
(IV.77)
with $`h(\phi )=e^{i\phi T_h}`$ a minimal nontrivial loop in $`H`$ shrinkable in $`G`$.

We now consider Aharonov-Bohm scattering of fundamental fermions $`\psi `$ by such a string. Details of the scattering analysis differ, for Dirac and Majorana fermions; however, both give the same result: charge-violating scattering at finite nonzero radii only. We treat each in turn.

### A For Dirac Fermions

When $`\psi `$ couples to $`\varphi `$ through Dirac couplings (II.7), $`\varphi `$ transforms under $`U`$ by conjugation and produces the effective mass matrix

$$\varphi (r,\phi )=h(\phi /2)e^{iF(r)T_b}\varphi _oe^{+iF(r)T_b}h^1(\phi /2).$$
(IV.78)
for $`\psi `$. Choosing $`\varphi _o`$ diagonal (as in our examples) gives apparent spatially varying mass eigenstates

$$\psi _a(r,\phi )=h(\phi /2)e^{iF(r)T_b}\widehat{e}_a,$$
(IV.79)
with $`\widehat{e}_a`$ a unit basis vector. These mass eigenstates may or may not appear multivalued. First, $`T_h`$ may annihilate $`e^{iF(r)T_b}\widehat{e}_a`$, giving an angle-independent mass eigenstate $`\psi _a`$. Otherwise, there are two possibilities for $`\psi _a`$. If the unit winding loop in $`H`$ is shrinkable in $`G`$ (as for the $`SO(6)`$ example of section III A), the remaining mass eigenstates are double-valued. However, if the smallest winding loop in $`H`$ shrinkable in $`G`$ has even winding (as for the canonical Alice model example of section III C), all mass eigenstates are single-valued.

However, the relevant object, as discussed for divergent global strings in section II, is not the mass eigenstate (IV.79) but the mass eigenstate acted on by nonabelian Berry’s phase $`W(r,\phi )`$:

$$W(r,\phi )=e^{^\phi 𝑑\phi ^{}A_\phi ^{}}$$
(IV.80)
where

$$(A_\phi )_{ab}=\psi _b(r,\phi )|_\phi |\psi _a(r,\phi )$$
(IV.81)
within a subspace of degenerate mass eigenstates $`\psi _a(r,\phi )`$. For our mass eigenstates (IV.79), this is determined by

$`(A_\phi )_{ab}`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{i}{2}}e_b|e^{+iF(r)T_b}T_he^{iF(r)T_b}|e_a`$ (IV.82)
$`=`$ $`e_b|(\mathrm{cos}[kF(r)](iT_h/2)+\mathrm{sin}[kF(r)](iT_b^{}/2))|e_a.`$ (IV.83)
Here $`T_b^{}`$ is another broken generator ($`J_3`$ for the $`SO(6)`$ case, $`T_y`$ for the canonical Alice case); $`k`$ is 2 for the $`SO(6)`$ case and $`1`$ for the canonical Alice case. This simple reduction comes from special algebraic features of the groups chosen: for $`SO(6)`$, from the properties discussed in equations (III.53) through (III.54); for the canonical case, from traits of the rotation group $`SO(3)`$ and its generators. In both cases, the broken generator $`T_b^{}`$ does not connect degenerate mass eigenstates, while the unbroken generator connects only degenerate states. Thus the nonabelian Berry’s phase acts on mass eigenstates as

$$W(r,\phi )=e^{+i\phi \mathrm{cos}(kF(r))T_h/2}.$$
(IV.84)
Thus, in scattering around the string, mass eigenstates $`\psi _a(r,\phi =0)=e^{iF(r)T_b}\widehat{e}_a`$ are acted on by an effective Wilson loop

$$W(r,2\pi )h(\pi )=h(\pi [1\mathrm{cos}(kF(r))]).$$
(IV.85)
This gives single-valued eigenstates at spatial infinity, where $`F=0`$, and at the origin, where $`kF=\pi `$ for both models. For finite $`r`$, however, all mass eigenstates not annihilated by $`T_h`$ become multivalued. Thus we have multivalued mass eigenstates (for the $`SO(6)`$ model, those induced by $`\widehat{e}_a`$ in the $`\mathrm{}`$-subspace; for the canonical Alice model, those induced by $`\widehat{e}_1`$ and $`\widehat{e}_2`$); and we have single-valued mass eigenstates (for the $`SO(6)`$ model, those induced by $`\widehat{e}_a`$ outside the $`\mathrm{}`$-subspace; for the canonical Alice model, the one induced by $`\widehat{e}_3`$). As discussed in the last paragraph preceding section II A, this means that charge eigenstates with both multi- and single-valued components typically undergo charge-violating Aharonov-Bohm scattering.

More specifically, consider the angle $`\alpha (r)\pi [1\mathrm{cos}(kF(r))]`$. $`h(\alpha (r))`$ truly acts as an r-dependent Wilson loop, for Aharonov-Bohm scattering around the textured Alice string. To see consequences of this Wilson loop, we consider two specific Aharonov-Bohm scattering experiments: in the first, we bring a charge radially inward from spatial infinity to $`r`$, circumnavigate the string, then return radially to spatial infinity to compare or interfere with untransported asymptotic charges. In the second, an observer within the texture defines charges, as related to the unbroken symmetries he observes locally, and observes parallel transport of those charges around the string. Either case gives the same criterion for apparent charge violation, and in each, this criterion is met generically for circumnavigation at finite nonzero $`r`$.

#### 1 Reference Charges at Infinity

First consider comparison of charges defined at spatial infinity. Here we define charge eigenstates $`|q_h^{}`$ for all unbroken generators $`T_h^{}`$. We note first that the nonabelian Aharonov Bohm gauge field $`A_r`$ (analogous to equation (IV.81)) vanishes for our models. Thus radial paths contribute no Aharonov-Bohm phase, and mass eigenstates simply track the $`r`$-dependent eigenstate (IV.79) during any radial transit. Thus, on the radial transit inward, the charge eigenstate $`|q_h^{}`$ of generator $`T_h^{}`$ evolves to

$$|q_h^{}_{\mathrm{at}r}=e^{iF(r)T_b}|q_h^{},$$
(IV.86)
taking $`\phi =0`$. After parallel transport around the string, the charge eigenstate acquires the effective Wilson loop $`h(\alpha (r))`$:

$$|q_h^{}_{\mathrm{at}r}^{}=h(\alpha (r))e^{iF(r)T_b}|q_h^{}.$$
(IV.87)
Now this circumnavigated charge must be transported back to spatial infinity, for comparison with other asymptotic charges. This gives for the final transported charge

$$|q_h^{}_{\mathrm{at}\mathrm{}}^{}=e^{+iF(r)T_b}h(\alpha (r))e^{iF(r)T_b}|q_h^{}.$$
(IV.88)
Note we can see this by decomposing our circumnavigated charge (IV.87) at $`r`$ into mass eigenstates $`e^{iF(r)T_b}|e_a`$ at $`r`$:

$$|q_h^{}_{\mathrm{at}r}^{}=\underset{a}{}\left(e^{iF(r)T_b}|e_a\right)e_a|e^{+iF(r)T_b}h(\alpha (r))e^{iF(r)T_b}|q_h^{}.$$
(IV.89)
Each mass eigenstate $`e^{iF(r)T_b}|e_a`$ then adiabatically tracks back to its value $`|e_a`$ at $`r=\mathrm{}`$, giving

$`|q_h^{}_{\mathrm{at}\mathrm{}}^{}`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \underset{a}{}}|e_ae_a|e^{+iF(r)T_b}h(\alpha (r))e^{iF(r)T_b}|q_h^{}`$ (IV.90)
$`=`$ $`e^{+iF(r)T_b}h(\alpha (r))e^{iF(r)T_b}|q_h^{}.`$ (IV.91)
Thus, asymptotic symmetry generators $`T_h^{}`$ define charge eigenstates $`|q_h^{}`$ which acquire the effective Wilson loop $`e^{+iF(r)T_b}h(\alpha (r))e^{iF(r)T_b}`$ in our thought experiment: when brought in to radius $`r`$, parallel transported about the string, then returned to spatial infinity.

#### 2 Reference Charges at $`r`$

Now consider charges as defined by an observer within the texture, at radius $`r`$ and angle $`\phi =0`$. Because $`\varphi `$ assumes a nonasymptotic value at finite $`r`$, its residual symmetry group $`H`$ is not the asymptotic one. In particular, for our $`\varphi `$-solutions (IV.78), the unbroken symmetry generators leaving $`\varphi `$ invariant at $`r`$ are

$$T_{h^{},r}=e^{iF(r)T_b}T_h^{}e^{+iF(r)T_b},$$
(IV.92)
again for $`\phi =0`$. Thus the charge eigenstates at $`r`$ are given by

$$|q_h^{}_{\mathrm{at}r}=e^{iF(r)T_b}|q_h^{},$$
(IV.93)
related to the asymptotic charges by change of basis. Note that this is the same equation as equation (IV.86) for asymptotic charge eigenstates parallel transported to $`r`$; however, here the meaning is different, as these are the charge eigenstates as defined at $`r`$.

After parallel transport around the string, the charge eigenstate acquires the effective Wilson loop $`h(\alpha (r))`$:

$$|q_h^{}_{\mathrm{at}r}^{}=h(\alpha (r))e^{iF(r)T_b}|q_h^{}.$$
(IV.94)
Thus, for an observer within the texture, symmetry generators $`e^{iF(r)T_b}T_h^{}e^{+iF(r)T_b}`$ define charge eigenstates $`e^{iF(r)T_b}|q_h^{}`$, which acquire the Wilson loop $`h(\alpha (r))`$ when parallel transported about the string.

We thus see that our two experiments, involving asymptotic or $`r`$-defined charge, are related by change of basis, and give the same criterion for charge nonconservation. Recall that any charge $`q_h^{}`$ is nonconserved if 1) its associated generator fails to commute with the Wilson loop; and 2) the charge eigenstate is not annihilated by the nontrivial commutator, as discussed in equation (II.18). Here that means charge $`q_h^{}`$ will be nonconserved, in either thought experiment, if

$$\text{[}T_h^{},e^{+iF(r)T_b}h(\alpha (r))e^{iF(r)T_b}\text{]}|q_h^{}0$$
(IV.95)
or equivalently, for finite nonzero $`r`$,

$$\text{[}T_h^{},e^{+iF(r)T_b}T_he^{iF(r)T_b}\text{]}|q_h^{}0$$
(IV.96)
Recalling the algebraic result (IV.83) for our models, our criterion for $`q_h^{}`$ charge violation becomes

$$\text{[}T_h^{},(\mathrm{cos}[kF(r)]T_h+\mathrm{sin}[kF(r)]T_b^{})\text{]}|q_h^{}0,$$
(IV.97)
with $`k`$ and $`T_b^{}`$ as given after equation (IV.83). That is, in each model, the textured string varies only over some $`SU(2)`$ (or $`SO(3)`$) subgroup of $`G`$, in which $`U(r,\phi )`$ assumes nontrivial values. Unless the generator $`T_h^{}`$ commutes with that entire subgroup — thus being entirely insensitive to the string — $`T_h^{}`$ will show Alice behavior, through charge violation at finite nonzero radius. For the canonical Alice/nematic liquid crystal model of section III C, this means that charge associated with the single unbroken generator $`T_h=T_h^{}=T_z`$ is violated at all finite nonzero $`r`$. For the $`SO(6)`$ model of section III A, we have six unbroken generators $`T_{12},T_{13},J_1,K_1,T_{46},T_{56}`$ with $`T_h=J_1=T_{23}+T_{45}`$. All charges are violated at finite nonzero radii, except the one associated with $`K_1`$. This charge must be conserved: in our $`SO(4)`$ subgroup’s $`SU(2)\times SU(2)`$ product structure, the textured Alice string varies over the $`J`$-associated $`SU(2)`$ and commutes with the $`K`$-associated one.

The details of this charge violation are more subtle than the divergent case, however; they consist not of a simple $`Z_2`$ charge flip $`|\pm |`$. Instead an r-dependent rotation mixes, say, a positively charged eigenstate into a linear combination of positive, negative, and neutral eigenstates. For example, in our $`SO(6)`$ model of section III A, the unbroken generator $`T_h^{}=T_{12}`$ has eigenstates which undergo charge-violating Aharonov Bohm scattering at finite $`r`$. The $`T_{12}`$ charge eigenstates $`|\pm `$ scatter to

$$|\pm ^{}=\frac{1}{2}(1+\mathrm{cos}\alpha )|\pm +\frac{1}{2}(1\mathrm{cos}\alpha )|\pm \frac{i}{\sqrt{2}}\mathrm{sin}\alpha |0,$$
(IV.98)
using the effective Wilson loop discussed above; where $`|0`$ is the $`r`$-dependent neutral charge eigenstate

$$|0=\mathrm{cos}(kF)|e_3+\mathrm{sin}(kF)|e_4.$$
(IV.99)
Thus scattered charge remains unchanged at the origin and spatial infinity; elsewhere, it becomes a radially dependent admixture of variously charged states. Note that, although this textured Alice string is a $`Z_2`$ string topologically, its charge violation is generally not $`Z_2`$: two traversals around the string are not trivial, at most radii. Only at the special “midpoint” radius, where $`\alpha =\pi ,kF=\pi /2`$, does a $`Z_2`$ scattering occur: $`|\pm |`$.

Similarly, for our canonical Alice/nematic liquid textured Alice string of section III C, $`|\pm `$ charge eigenstates of $`T_h=T_z`$ scatter to

$`|\pm ^{}`$ $`=`$ $`\frac{1}{2}[2\mathrm{cos}(2\alpha )+(1\mathrm{cos}(2\alpha ))\mathrm{sin}^2F]|\pm \frac{1}{2}(1\mathrm{cos}(2\alpha ))\mathrm{sin}^2F|`$ (IV.101)
$`+\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}}\mathrm{sin}F\left[\mathrm{sin}(2\alpha )\pm i\mathrm{cos}F(1\mathrm{cos}(2\alpha ))\right]|0.`$
Again we find nontrivial, but non-$`Z_2`$, mixing of the charge eigenstate into states of different charge. At the string “midpoint,” $`\alpha =\pi ,F=\pi /2`$, the charge is actually conserved, as $`|\pm |\pm `$. Elsewhere, however, for $`0<F<\pi `$ (finite nonzero $`r`$), the charge eigenstates mix nontrivially.

We have thus shown that circumnavigation of the string at finite radius violates charge conservation, for charges defined either asymptotically or locally, in accordance with local unbroken symmetries. Those charges associated with unbroken symmetries are simply nonconserved, at finite radius.

In the gauged or divergent global Alice string case, charge violation occurs because local residual symmetries $`h`$ cannot be consistently extended to singlevalued symmetries $`h(\phi )`$. Here that is not true — the fact that the group map $`U(r,\phi )`$ generating the string is single-valued induces perfectly single-valued symmetries, and symmetry generators $`T_h^{}`$, when parallel transported around the string by (II.3). However, no set of associated conserved charges can be defined, at finite radius. One might hope some “hidden” set of charge eigenstates, murkily connected with the local unbroken symmetry, might emerge. However, the only candidates for such conserved charge eigenstates are those simultaneous charge eigenstates $`|q_h,q_h^{},\mathrm{}`$, for all $`T_h^{}`$ commuting with $`T_h`$. These, at least, are conserved in circumnavigating the string, acquiring only the r-dependent anyonic phase $`e^{iq_h\alpha }`$. However, any deviation from a circular path in traversing the string violates these eigenstate’s charge, for the same reason that asymptotically defined charge becomes violated at finite radius. That is, charge is nonconserved because radial transit causes the charge eigenstates to change and become misaligned with the Wilson loop $`h(\alpha )`$.

#### 3 For Majorana Fermions

Understanding the Aharonov Bohm scattering for Majorana fermions in the Benson-Manohar-Saadi model is slightly more complex. Here fermions $`\psi `$ interact with the textured string

$$\varphi (r,\phi )=U(r,\phi )\varphi _oU^T(r,\phi )=h(\phi /2)e^{2iF(r)\sigma _{z(12)}}h^1(\phi /2)$$
(IV.102)
via the mass interaction $`m\overline{\psi }\varphi \psi _c+h.c.`$ At first glance, this gives the mass eigenstates (III.70), with mass eigenvalues $`me^{2iF(r)}`$, and with nonabelian Aharonov Bohm phase cancelling the apparent angular variation of the mass eigenstates. However, to get the masses and nonabelian Berry’s phase correct, we must look more closely at the bispinor $`(\psi ,\psi _c)`$ and how it obtains its mass. We include a self-conjugate bare Majorana mass matrix $`M`$ for clarity. The full mass matrix is

$$\left(\begin{array}{cc}& M+m\varphi \\ M+m\varphi ^{}& \end{array}\right)$$
(IV.103)
acting on $`(\psi ,\psi _c)`$. It has mass eigenstates

$$\psi _{1\pm }=\frac{1}{\sqrt{2\omega \omega }}\left(\begin{array}{c}\hfill \omega \psi _+\chi \\ \hfill \pm \omega ^{}\psi _+\chi \end{array}\right),\psi _{2\pm }=\frac{1}{\sqrt{2\omega \omega }}\left(\begin{array}{c}\hfill \omega ^{}\psi _{}\chi \\ \hfill \pm \omega \psi _{}\chi \end{array}\right)$$
(IV.104)
where

$$\omega =\left(M+me^{2iF}\right)^{1/2},$$
(IV.105)
$`\psi _\pm `$ are the mass eigenstates (III.70) in flavor space and $`\chi `$ is the self-conjugate field $`\psi +\psi _c`$ in spin space. These have associated, spatially varying mass eigenvalues

$$\lambda _\pm =\pm \omega ^{}\omega =\pm \sqrt{M^2+m^2+2Mm\mathrm{cos}(2F)},$$
(IV.106)
with degeneracies between $`\psi _{1+}`$ and $`\psi _{2+}`$, $`\psi _1`$ and $`\psi _2`$.

We now calculate the nonabelian Aharonov Bohm phase (IV.81) due to these degeneracies. First note that $`_\phi `$ acting on any of the spatially varying mass eigenstates (IV.104) is just $`(i\sigma _{y(12)}/2,i\sigma _{y(12)}/2)`$ acting on that eigenstate, as the $`\phi `$-variation of each eigenstate is simply the $`h(\phi /2)`$ prefactor inherited from flavor mass eigenstates (III.70). And $`i\sigma _{y(12)}`$ acts on the flavor mass eigenstates (III.70) by sending $`\psi _{}\psi _+,\psi _+\psi _{}`$. This affects the full mass eigenstates (IV.104) as follows:

$$(i\sigma _{y(12)},i\sigma _{y(12)}):\psi _{a\pm }ϵ_{ab3}\psi _{b\pm }^{}.$$
(IV.107)
Thus our nonabelian Aharonov Bohm gauge field $`A_\phi `$ mixes only degenerate mass eigenstates, with matrix elements

$`(A_\phi )_{ab,\pm }`$ $`=`$ $`\psi _{b\pm }(r,\phi )|_\phi |\psi _{a\pm }(r,\phi )={\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}}ϵ_{ab3}\psi _{b\pm }|\psi _{b\pm }^{}`$ (IV.108)
$`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{4\omega ^{}\omega }}ϵ_{ab3}\left(\omega ^2+\omega _{}^{}{}_{}{}^{2}\right)`$ (IV.109)
$`=`$ $`ϵ_{ab3}{\displaystyle \frac{M+m\mathrm{cos}(2F)}{2\sqrt{M^2+m^2+2Mm\mathrm{cos}(2F)}}}.`$ (IV.110)
This gives for the nonabelian Wilson line

$$W(r,\phi )=h^1\left(\frac{M+m\mathrm{cos}(2F)}{2\sqrt{M^2+m^2+2Mm\mathrm{cos}(2F)}}\phi \right),$$
(IV.111)
where $`h(\phi )`$ is now understood as the direct product $`(e^{i\phi \sigma _{y(12)}},e^{i\phi \sigma _{y(12)}})`$ acting on the bispinor $`(\psi ,\psi _c)`$. Thus the $`\phi =0`$ mass eigenstates (IV.104) are acted on by

$$h(\pi )W(r,2\pi )=h\left(\left(1\frac{M+m\mathrm{cos}(2F)}{\sqrt{M^2+m^2+2Mm\mathrm{cos}(2F)}}\right)\pi \right)$$
(IV.112)
in traversing the string. This gives single-valued mass eigenstates at spatial infinity and the origin, where $`F`$ assumes the values 0 and $`\pi /2`$ respectively. Elsewhere, mass eigenstates become multivalued in traversing the string. In the case where the bare Majorana mass $`M`$ is zero, our effective Wilson loop is

$$h(\pi )W(r,2\pi )=h\left(\left(1\mathrm{cos}(2F)\right)\pi \right).$$
(IV.113)
We note that this is identical to the effective $`r`$-dependent Wilson loop $`h(\alpha )`$ we obtained for the Dirac case above. And identical results ensue. Note that, as in the Dirac case, local symmetry generators vary radially:

$$T_{h^{},r}=e^{iF(r)\sigma _{z(12)}}T_h^{}e^{+iF(r)\sigma _{z(12)}},$$
(IV.114)
due to the symmetry transformation rule $`\varphi g\varphi g^T`$. The mismatch — that is, noncommutativity — between the Wilson loop $`h(\alpha )`$, generated by $`T_h`$, and the radially twisted local unbroken generators $`T_{h^{},r}`$, is why a local observer at finite $`r`$ perceives charge violation, when charge associated with unbroken symmetries at $`r`$ circumnavigate the string. Similarly, the full mass eigenstates (IV.104) vary radially. For $`M=0`$, in fact, they vary as if acted on by the flavor space operator $`(e^{iF(r)\sigma _{z(12)}},e^{+iF(r)\sigma _{z(12)}})`$. This causes the same noncommutativity problem as in the Dirac case, when asymptotic charges approach finite radius, tracking radially varying mass eigenstates; then circumnavigate the string, acquiring the mismatched Wilson loop $`h(\alpha )`$; then return to spatial infinity. As in the Dirac case, for either thought experiment — circumnavigation of the string at finite radius by charges defined either locally, or brought in from infinity — charges associated with the asymptotic generator $`T_h^{}`$ are violated whenever

$$\text{[}T_h^{},(\mathrm{cos}[2F(r)]\sigma _{y(12)}+\mathrm{sin}[kF(r)]\sigma _{x(12)})\text{]}|q_h^{}0,$$
(IV.115)
following analysis similar to that preceding equation (IV.97) for the Dirac case. This means in particular, for the $`N=3`$ BMS string of section III B, that all charges are violated at finite radius.

## V Skyrmions as Twisted Textured Alice Strings

We now show that the textured Alice strings constructed here can be twisted to form topologically nontrivial skyrmions — that is, point defects with nontrivial $`\pi _3(G/H)`$. The twist we consider is the following: bend the string into a loop, with angle $`\theta `$ along the string core $`2\pi `$-periodic. As $`\theta `$ increases along the loop, twist the textured string by starting its $`h`$-rotation at increasing offset angle $`\phi _o=\theta `$:

$$U(r,\theta +\phi )=h((\phi +\theta )/2)e^{iF(r)T_b}h((\phi +\theta )/2)\text{where}F(r)\{\begin{array}{cc}0\hfill & r\mathrm{}\hfill \\ F_o\hfill & r0\hfill \end{array},$$
(V.116)
giving strings

$`\varphi (r,\theta +\phi )`$ $`=`$ $`h((\phi +\theta )/2)e^{iF(r)T_b}\varphi _oe^{+iF(r)T_b}h^1((\phi +\theta )/2)\text{Dirac case}`$ (V.117)
$`\varphi (r,\theta +\phi )`$ $`=`$ $`h((\phi +\theta )/2)e^{2iF(r)\sigma _{z(12)}}h^1((\phi +\theta )/2)\text{Majorana case},`$ (V.118)
generalizing the untwisted strings of Equations (IV.77), (IV.78), and (IV.102). Note that this twist is distinct from the gauged monopole case: for the gauged monopole case, the plane of the string’s internal space rotation rotates as we traverse the loop, locked to the loop angle $`\theta `$ to form a hedgehog configuration. Here, the textured string always rotates in the same internal space plane, assuming the same vacuum values; the entire configuration just shifts in $`\phi `$ by an offset angle locked to $`\theta `$.

This offset of identical string configurations is essential in establishing nontrivial homotopy $`\pi _3`$. For each of our models varies nontrivially over, essentially, an $`SU(2)SO(2)`$ subspace of the model’s symmetry-breaking pattern $`GH`$. For our $`SO(6)`$ model of section III A, our model varies over an $`SO(4)SU(2)\times SU(2)`$ subspace, where $`SU(2)\times SU(2)U(1)\times U(1)`$; note that our model varies only over one $`SU(2)U(1)`$ factor, associated with the $`J`$-subalgebra. The canonical Alice model of section III C is explicitly a symmetry breaking $`SO(3)O(2)`$. Finally, the BMS model of section III B varies over an $`SU(2)SO(2)`$ subspace of the symmetry-breaking $`SU(N)SO(N)`$.

In all these cases, then, we can exploit the isomorphism $`SU(2)/SO(2)S^2`$ to identify the twisted loop’s $`\pi _3`$ index with its Hopf number, the linking number of any two fibers of constant $`\varphi `$ in physical space.  Our twisted textured strings (V.118) were constructed to be exactly $`2\pi `$-periodic in the angle $`\phi +\theta `$ at finite $`r`$, and angle-independent at $`r=0`$. Thus we obtain one fiber by taking $`r=0`$ along the core of the loop, and a second by taking finite $`r=r_o`$, with $`\theta +\phi =0`$. This second fiber, or constant value for $`\varphi `$, occurs at angle $`\phi =\theta `$ as we traverse the string loop taking $`\theta `$ from 0 to $`2\pi `$. The two fibers are drawn below in Figure 2. Note that endpoints in $`\theta `$ and $`\phi `$ are identified. The linking number is exactly one, showing that the twisted textured Alice string is a fundamental skyrmion. Thus, as in the gauged case, twisted textured Alice strings form fundamental point defects. Unfortunately, here the argument is not generic, as in the gauge case; it relies specifically on the Hopf map for the vacuum submanifold $`SU(2)/U(1)`$.

## VI Conclusions

We have demonstrated Alice behavior for global strings of both types: divergent global strings with nontrivial $`\pi _1(G/H)`$, and finite tension textured strings with nontrivial $`\pi _2(G/H)`$. In both cases, point defects emerge as twisted strings. Charge violation also emerges in both cases: in the first case, the global string inherits its Alice characteristics from its gauged counterpart; while in the second, charge violation is generic, at finite radius. Specifically, for the divergent global string, charge violation occurs for all generators that fail to commute with $`W(2\pi )U(2\pi )`$, where $`U(2\pi )`$ is the Wilson loop of the associated gauged string, and $`W(2\pi )`$ is a rare correction due to the nonabelian Aharonov Bohm effect. In the textured case, charge violation occurs for all generators which interact with the string at all, as a direct consequence of the nonabelian Aharonov Bohm effect. These textured strings are associated with topologically nontrivial loops in $`H`$, $`h(\phi )`$. We showed that the nonabelian Aharonov Bohm effect determines an effective Wilson loop for the string at finite radius of $`h(\alpha )`$, where $`\alpha `$ ranges from 0 at infinite radius to $`2\pi `$ at $`r=0`$. At finite radius, a mismatch between this Wilson loop, and locally defined unbroken symmetry generators, leads to generic and observable charge violation.

###### Acknowledgements.

This work was supported by NSF grant PHY-9631182, and by the University Research Committee of Emory University. I thank Tom Imbo for useful discussions, particularly on subtleties of the Hopf map.


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# Infrared and Millimetric Study of the Young Outflow Cepheus E

## 1 Introduction

Low mass proto-stars produce outflows that interact mostly through shocks with the surrounding medium (e. g. Reipurth & Raga bo99 (1999)). Nevertheless, the details of the earliest evolutionary steps remain somewhat unclear. The embedded flow at Cepheus E (hereafter Cep E) displays all the characteristics of an extremely young object still surrounded by a thick cocoon of cold gas (e. g. Cernicharo et al. cerni00 (2000)), and hence provides an ideal opportunity to study the development of molecular/ionic outflows and their surrounding environments during the earliest stages of star formation.

Cep E was identified originally as a cloud core in molecular CO observations (Sargent sar77 (1977)), and subsequently, an associated outflow was discovered (see Fukui fuk89 (1989); Hodapp hod94 (1994)). The region around Cep E has proved more complicated than the early CO and the K observations indicated; there are at least two other outflows besides the original compact ’North-South’ H2 flow identified by Ladd & Hodapp (lad97 (1997)). One is nearly perpendicular to the main H2 flow and appears as a faint chain of H2 1-0 S(1) 2.121 $`\mu `$m emission knots towards the West (Eislöffel et al. eis96 (1996)); the other is seen in the CO J = 1-0 line, is extended by $`90`$′′ along a PA $``$ -45 (Ladd & Howe lad97b (1997)). All three flows arise within a 5′′ region around IRAS 23011+6126, which presumably encompasses the driving source (Lefloch, Eislöffel & Lazareff lef96 (1996); Noriega-Crespo, Garnavich & Molinari nori98 (1998), hereafter NCGM; Cernicharo et al. cerni00 (2000)). For a low mass object IRAS 23011+6126 is estimated to have a very high bolometric luminosity, $`70`$ L (Lefloch et al. lef96 (1996)), suggesting that we are dealing with a relatively massive protostar, or with a low-mass protostar in an unusually early evolutionary phase and considerable higher accretion luminosity.

The blueshifted South lobe of the original H2 Cep E outflow is observed at optical wavelengths as Herbig-Haro HH 337, in the shock excited H$`\alpha `$ and \[SII\] $`\lambda `$$`\lambda `$6717/31 emission lines (Noriega-Crespo nori97 (1997); Devine, Reipurth & Bally dev97 (1997)). This collisionally excited emission is characteristic of an extremely low excitation HH object ($``$ 1$`\%`$ ionization) with an anomalously high electron density, n$`{}_{e}{}^{}`$ 4100 $`\mathrm{cm}^3`$, leading to an unusually high pre-shock density of $`10^5`$ $`\mathrm{cm}^3`$ (Ayala et al. aya00 (2000); hereafter AYA). Both the H$`\alpha `$ and \[SII\] emission can be modeled using a J shock of v$`{}_{shock}{}^{}`$ 15-30 km $`\mathrm{s}^1`$ (AYA), although the near-IR H2 spectra agree better with C-shock models with v$`{}_{shock}{}^{}`$ 35 km $`\mathrm{s}^1`$ (Ladd & Hodapp lad97 (1997)). It has been suggested that a Mach disk produces the optical emission while the IR emission arises from a bow shock (AYA).

Some of the first three dimensional simulations of molecular jets were intended to model the complex structure of the H2 Cep E outflow (Suttner et al. sut97 (1997)). Surprisingly they demanded relatively large ($`>10^5`$$`\mathrm{cm}^3`$) densities, which could be a sign of a very early stage of jet development. This interpretation is consistent with the estimated dynamical age of the Cep E outflow, $`3\times 10^3`$ years (Eislöffel et al. eis96 (1996)), assuming a distance of 730 pc. The above argument sets a scene in which Cep E is a very young outflow breaking through its placental molecular core.

Our new observations from the Infrared Space Observatory (ISO111ISO is an ESA project with the instruments funded by ESA Members States (especially the PI countries: France, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom) and with the participation of ISAS and NASA.) and the Owens Valley Radio Observatory (OVRO) millimeter wave array at far/mid infrared and millimetric wavelengths at higher sensitivity and spatial resolution, permit not only a probe of deeper regions of the molecular environment surrounding the outflow, but also a determination of the main excitation and cooling mechanisms. Both are essential to understand the dynamical evolution of very young proto-stellar objects.

In $`\mathrm{\S }`$ 2 and $`\mathrm{\S }`$ 3 we describe the ISO and OVRO observations and data reduction procedures, respectively. The infrared results are presented in $`\mathrm{\S }`$ 4 and further analyzed in $`\mathrm{\S }`$ 5, where we derive the gas physical parameters (such as temperature, density, column density and size of the emitting region) and study the origin of this emission through J and C-shocks and photo-dissociation regions (PDRs). In $`\mathrm{\S }`$ 6 we analyze the millimeter results, using the 13CO line emission to derive such physical parameters of the outflow as dynamical time scale, mass and mass loss rate, and continuum observations to provide an alternate estimate of the mass of the source. The source spectral energy distribution (SED) is examined in $`\mathrm{\S }`$ 7 and in $`\mathrm{\S }`$ 8 we summarize our results.

## 2 ISO Observations and data reduction

The Cep E outflow has been observed with two ISO instruments, the Long Wavelength Spectrometer (LWS, Clegg et al. cleg96 (1996)) and the infrared camera (ISOCAM, Cesarsky et al. cesa96 (1996)). The observations were taken during revolutions 566 (LWS: TDT 56601113 and 56600912) and 792 (CAM: TDT 79200740). The LWS01 grating mode was used to acquire low resolution (R$``$ 200) spectra from 43 to 197 $`\mu `$m at two different locations along the flow ($`\alpha `$(2000) = 23h03m13.11s, $`\delta `$(2000) = 614259.5′′ for the North lobe and $`\alpha `$(2000) = 23h03m12.73s, $`\delta `$(2000) = 614156.5′′ for the South lobe). Figure 1 shows the two pointing positions. These spectra are made up of 11 full grating scans oversampled at 1/4 of a resolution element (equivalent to $``$ 0.07 $`\mu `$m for $`\lambda `$$`<`$90 $`\mu `$m and to $``$ 0.15 $`\mu `$m for $`\lambda `$$`>`$90 $`\mu `$m ). The integration time per spectral element was 22 s, corresponding to a total integration time of 1890 s per pointing. The LWS beam is assumed to be $``$ 80′′ in diameter (ISO Handbook, iv, 4.3.2). The ISOCAM (Cesarsky et al. cesa96 (1996)) observations were taken using the Circular Variable Filter (CVF) with a total FOV of 3 $`\times `$3, and pixel FOV of 6′′ centered on IRAS 23011+6126 ($`\alpha `$(2000) = 23h03m13.02s, $`\delta `$(2000) = 614226.5′′). The CVF spectra covered the 5.01 $``$ 16.77 $`\mu `$m wavelength range with a resolving power of $`40`$. Each wavelength was observed for $`23`$ sec, for a total on source observing time of 3550 sec.

The LWS Interactive Analysis 222LIA is available at http://www.ipac.caltech.edu/iso/lws/lia/lia.html (LIA) Package, Version 7.2 was used to correct the detector dark currents and drifts. Corrected and scan averaged spectra were then analyzed using the ISO Spectral Analysis Package333ISAP is available at http://www.ipac.caltech.edu/iso/isap/isap.html (ISAP) Version 2.0. Likewise, the CAM-CVF data were reduced using the Cam Interactive Analysis 444CIA is available at http://www.ipac.caltech.edu/iso/cam/camtools.html (CIA) standard procedures, and spectra from the individual pixels were extracted using XCVF (Ali ali00 (2000)), and further analyzed with ISAP.

## 3 Millimeter observations and data reduction

High resolution millimeter interferometric observations were obtained during 1997 and 2000 using the OVRO millimeter-wave array. The array comprises six 10.4 m antennas that were deployed in three different configurations offering baselines extending from the shadowing limit to 220 m. To ensure the best possible sensitivity to the extended outflow emission, the data from the most compact available configuration is included. Each telescope is equipped with cryogenically cooled SIS receivers providing typical system temperatures of $``$ 300 K at 110 GHz and $``$ 1200 K at 222 GHz. Continuum observations employed an analog correlator for total bandwidths of $``$ 2 GHz and 1 GHz at 222 GHz and 110 GHz (1.3 and 2.7 mm) respectively. The digital correlator was configured to observe simultaneously the 13CO(1-0) and C18O(1-0) transitions at 110.2 and 109.8 GHz respectively. For the former isotopomer, spectral resolution was 1.3 km $`\mathrm{s}^1`$ over a $``$ 80 km $`\mathrm{s}^1`$ bandwidth, and for the latter, it was 0.3 km $`\mathrm{s}^1`$ over $``$ 20 km $`\mathrm{s}^1`$. The half-power beamwidth is $``$ 65′′ at 110 GHz, and $``$ 33′′ at 222 GHz.

Complex gain calibration was ensured by frequent observations of the quasar BG 0059+58 (= \[MFN99\] 0059+581). The typical observing cycle alternated scans on Cep E and BG 0059+58 with a period of $``$ 20-30 min. 3C 345 and/or 3C 84 were used as passband calibrators while scans on Uranus and/or Neptune were used to set the flux scale. The expected flux calibration uncertainty is $``$ 15$`\%`$ at 2.7 mm, and 20-30$`\%`$ at 1.3 mm. Data calibration and editing have been performed using the OVRO-MMA software package (Scoville et al. Sea93 (1993)). Imaging and analysis of the calibrated ($`u,v`$) datasets were carried out with the NRAO-AIPS package. All the maps presented in this paper have been obtained with the AIPS IMAGR task using natural weighting of the ($`u,v`$) data for the molecular outflow maps and the low spatial resolution continuum maps, while “ROBUST=0” weighting was used for the 1.3 mm high resolution map. The beam sizes and noise levels for the OVRO observations are shown in Table 1.

## 4 ISO Results

### 4.1 ISO LWS

Figure 2 shows the LWS far-infrared spectra obtained at the two pointing positions. The strongest features are the atomic fine structure lines of \[O I\] 63 $`\mu `$m and \[C II\] 158 $`\mu `$m. However, the spectra are also rich in molecular lines from the rotational transitions of CO and H2O (in both ortho and para form). Two OH lines are also detected in the spectra, but they are too faint to be included in the analysis.

Integrated line fluxes, measured using a gaussian fit, are shown in Table 2, with 1-$`\sigma `$ uncertainties given in parenthesis. In some cases the FWHM was kept fixed to the corresponding instrumental resolution element (i.e. 0.29 $`\mu `$m and 0.6 $`\mu `$m for the SW and LW detectors, respectively). This technique was particularly important in the case of faint or/and blended lines. The uncertainties were obtained either by using ISAP estimated values from the gaussian fit, or by adopting the RMS of the fitted baseline times the resolution element. As expected, both values are very similar.

### 4.2 ISOCAM CVF

CAM CVF provides spectra covering the 5-17 $`\mu `$m range over a 32$`\times `$32 pixel area. Each plane of the cube corresponds to a different $`\lambda `$. Figure 1 shows, as was previously noticed by NCMG, how the morphology at 2 and 7 $`\mu `$m in the H2 emission is quite similar. A more detailed description of the CVF emission at each pixel is given in Figure 3. Except at the source position (pixel (16,16)), the 5 to 16 $`\mu `$m spectra are dominated by the H2 ground rotational lines from S(7) to S(2). Integrated line fluxes can be found in Table 3. These are corrected for extinction, using an estimated E(B-V) = 1.0 (Lefloch et al. lef96 (1996); AYA) and the extinction curve from Draine (drai89 (1989)). The central source is clearly detected and displays strong silicate absorption at 9-12 $`\mu `$m and CO2 ice at 15.2 $`\mu `$m and a number of ice bands (see also Cernicharo et al. cerni00 (2000)). Figure 4 displays the images corresponding to the H2 0-0 S(2) to S(7) lines. In accord with expectations based on ground based optical and H2 observations at 2 $`\mu `$m, the south lobe is brighter at shorter wavelengths, as the flow breaks through the cloud. The north lobe, buried deeper in the cloud, has fainter S(3) 9.66 $`\mu `$m and S(2) 12.28 $`\mu `$m emission, due probably to the broad second maxima at 9.7 $`\mu `$m due to silicates (Si-O) stretch mode in the extinction curve (Draine drai89 (1989), Mathis math90 (1990)).

## 5 Discussion

### 5.1 The Gas Physical Parameters

#### 5.1.1 CO and H2O Emission

The CO and H2O emission can be studied by means of a Large Velocity Gradient (LVG) model in spherical geometry, taking into account the first 35 rotational levels of CO and the first 30 rotational levels of o-H2O. The collisional rates of Schinke et al. (sch85 (1985)) were used for CO and those of Green, Maluendes and Mc Lean (gre93 (1993)) and Phillips et al. (phi96 (1996)) for H2O.

There are six main parameters to fit: temperature (T), H2 density (n(H2)), CO and o-H2O column densities (N(CO) and N(o-H2O)), intrinsic width of the line (vexp) and angular size of the emitting area ($`\mathrm{\Omega }`$). To determine all of them simultaneously, two initial assumptions are necessary: (1) the CO and o-H2O emission arise from the same region; (2) the CO lines are optically thin, i.e. their line fluxes do not depend on their intrinsic widths, while the o-H2O lines are optically thick. Since the LWS resolution is too poor to establish size and position of the emitting region, it is difficult to justify (1) from our data. However, in a 15′′ beam, the H2O emission in HH 7-11 appears to arise from the shocked regions already seen in the CO emission bullets (Cernicharo, Gonzalez-Alfonso & Bachiller (cer96 (1996)) and Bachiller & Cernicharo bac90 (1990)). The adoption of assumption (2) will be confirmed by our models. Figure 5 shows the CO line fluxes as a function of the rotational quantum number, Jup, for Cep E North and South lobes. The shape of the distribution is determined only by T and n(H2), while the absolute fluxes are determined by T, n(H2) and $`\mathrm{\Omega }\times `$N(CO), which is proportional to the total number of CO molecules within the emitting volume.

Two extreme cases for each lobe are consistent with the observations. All the models predict that the CO lines are effectively optically thin. Figure 5 shows that the agreement is good for Jup$`<`$22; but for higher Jup the models underestimate the observed fluxes. This could indicate the existence of a hotter CO gas component as suggested by Spinoglio et al. (spin00 (2000)) for T Tau.

Assuming that the CO and the o-H2O line emission is from the same gas, the temperatures and densities derived from the CO lines can be used to model the o-H2O line fluxes. Since these lines are optically thick, their absolute fluxes depend on all the free parameters in the model, T, n(H2), N(o-H2O), vexp and $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$. Their relative fluxes (or line ratios), on the other hand, do not depend on $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$. Thus, with T and n(H2) known, the line ratios were modeled and the values of N(o-H2O) and vexp were constrained. Models of the absolute fluxes then allowed a derivation of $`\mathrm{\Omega }`$. The o-H2O lines at 179, 174, 113 and 75 $`\mu `$m were used because they have the highest signal to noise ratio and because the o-H2O 179 $`\mu `$m/174 $`\mu `$m ratio is very sensitive to T and n(H2).

A summary of the LVG model parameters consistent with the observations can be found in Table 4. A comparison between the LVG models for o-H2O and the observations is shown in Figure 5. The diameter range estimated for the o-H2O emitting region is comparable to the extension of the vibrational H2 1-0 S(1) 2.12 $`\mu `$m emission, 2700-6900 AU (3.7′′ \- 9.5′′) at a distance of 730 pc. Knowing the emitting area, we calculate N(CO) and hence the H2O/H2 abundance ratio, assuming a standard value of CO/H2$``$ 10-4 in shock regions. For H2O, an ortho/para ratio of 3 was adopted, leading to predicted p-H2O fluxes within 3-$`\sigma `$ of the observed values. The low temperature models give H2O/H2$``$ 4.0$`\times `$10-5 and 1.5$`\times `$10-5 for the North and South lobe respectively. The high temperature models give H2O/H2$``$ 2.5$`\times `$10-4 (North) and 2.4$`\times `$10-4 (South). Taking into account these estimates together with their uncertainties, it can be concluded that H2O abundances are between 100 and 4000 times greater than expected for the ambient medium in cold quiescent conditions, x(H2O)$``$ 10-7 (Bergin et al. berg98 (1998); Moneti, Cernicharo & Pardo mon00 (2000)), a result commonly found in young stellar objects (Liseau et al. lise96 (1996); Cernicharo et al. cer96 (1996); Harwit et al. harw98 (1998); Gonzalez-Alfonso et al. gonz98 (1998); Ceccarelli et al. cecca99 (1999); Spinoglio et al. spin00 (2000)). This significant enhancement in the water abundance within outflow regions can be attributed to the vaporization of volatile grain mantles and the increased rate coefficients for specific gas-phase reactions at the elevated gas temperatures reached behind the shocks, and it is expected to persist for $``$ 105 years (Bergin et al. berg98 (1998)).

According to the LVG models, the high-J CO emission detected by ISO-LWS indicates a temperature between 220 K and 1200 K. Since the contribution to low-J emission from gas at such temperatures is negligible, the ISO observations must be tracing only the hottest shocked molecular material. By contrast, millimetric observations of the low-J emission (J=2-1, Lefloch et al. lef96 (1996) and J=4-3, Hatchell et al. hat99 (1999)) provide information about the entrained gas.

#### 5.1.2 H2 Emission

The pure rotational H2 lines seen in the ISOCAM CVF spectra arise from quadrupole transitions that are always optically thin. Due to their low Einstein coefficients, thermalization is readily possible for moderate volume densities. Hence, LTE calculations are precise enough to compute H2 column densities. In outflows from YSOs, the H2 emission is mostly produced by collisional excitation driven by shocks, but to gain some insight into the overall nature of the gas, local thermodynamic equilibrium is commonly assumed. It is then possible to estimate the excitation temperature ($`T_{ex}`$) and column density of the H2 gas using ln(Nj/gj) = ln(Ntot /Q) - Ej/(k Tex), where Nj = 4 $`\pi `$ Fj/($`\mathrm{\Omega }`$ Ej gj Aj). As usual, Aj is the transition probability (Turner, Kirby-Docken & Dalgarno tur77 (1977)) and Ej the energy of the upper level (in cgs units) (Dabrowski dra84 (1984)). The dereddened fluxes, Fj/$`\mathrm{\Omega }`$, are listed in Table 3. The partition function (Q) was calculated assuming an ortho-para ratio of 3. The excitation diagrams, ln(Nj/gj) vs Eup and the derived excitation temperatures and column densities for several pixels along the flow are shown in Figure 6. Given Nj and $`T_{ex}`$, a model spectrum can be created for all H2 0-0 lines. A comparison one of these models with the observations is shown in Figure 6. A single component model predicts the intensities from the S(3) to the S(7) lines very well, but the intensity of S(2) is systematically underestimated.

### 5.2 Interpreting the Shock Excited Emission

#### 5.2.1 C-shocks

The ground rotational H2 emission observed in YSOs is mostly attributed to collisional excitation from shocks, either C-type or J-type (Draine & McKee drai93 (1993)). In a nutshell, C-type shocks are inherently magnetic and less harsh on molecules because Alfvenic waves prepare the gas to the hydrodynamic shock. J-type shocks are mostly hydrodynamic and can dissociate H2 molecules at lower shock velocities. In the mid and far infrared, where molecular transitions are detected, C-type shocks are expected to be more important. This is confirmed by the comparison of the CO and H2 pure rotational line fluxes predicted by C-shocks models for v$`{}_{shock}{}^{}1040`$ km $`\mathrm{s}^1`$, and gas densities $`10^410^6`$ $`\mathrm{cm}^3`$ (Kaufman & Neufeld kauf96 (1996)), and J-shocks models for v$`{}_{shock}{}^{}30150`$ km $`\mathrm{s}^1`$ and the same gas density range (Hollenbach & McKee holl89 (1989)). C-shock fluxes are at least 10 times brighter than the J-shocks (and this factor can be much larger depending on the shock conditions). A similar situation is expected for H2O, and the following analysis assumes that only C-shocks contribute.

The shock velocity and pre-shock density are estimated using the pure rotational H2 line fluxes and their ratios. From a comparison of these values with C-shock models (Kaufman & Neufeld kauf96 (1996)), we determine a range of 20$``$40 km $`\mathrm{s}^1`$ shock velocities, but over a wide range of pre-shock gas densities. The vshock value of $``$ 35 km $`\mathrm{s}^1`$ derived from the near infrared H2 emission lines (Ladd & Hodapp lad97 (1997)), falls within this range. An estimate of the pre-shock gas density can be obtained with the additional assumption that the emission from the pure rotational H2 and CO lines arise from the same region. If so, the CO/H2 cooling ratio can be used in conjunction with the shock velocities. Since this ratio encompasses all cooling, the fraction of lines lying outside the LWS and CVF wavelength coverage must be taken into account. The CO, o-H2O and p-H2O cooling rates derived from the LVG models can be found in Table 4. For CO, the LVG models neglect the contribution from lines with Jup $`>`$22, which may belong to a hotter component. The H2 cooling was estimated using the simple LTE model and, after taking into account the difference between the LWS and CAM beam, is 1.6$`\times `$10-18 W cm-2 for both the North and South lobes. Figure 7 shows the comparison between the corrected CO/H2 cooling ratios and those predicted by C-type shock models (Kaufman & Neufeld kauf96 (1996)). Within the vshock range of 20$``$40 km $`\mathrm{s}^1`$, the models predict a pre-shock density of $`10^42.5\times 10^5`$ $`\mathrm{cm}^3`$.

Figure 8 shows the predicted CO/H2O cooling ratio as a function of pre-shock density and shock velocity for C-shocks models (Kaufman & Neufeld kauf96 (1996)). The observed (and corrected) ratio for the Cep E outflow indicates shock velocities of 8-14 km $`\mathrm{s}^1`$, inconsistent with the values derived from the CO/H2 ratios. This could be due to the fact that the brightest emission regions in H2 and CO do not seem to coexist spatially, as has been assumed, and therefore trace different gas conditions. Indeed, 13CO presented in Figure 9 suggest this may be the case. We discuss this further below. The spatial resolution available with LWS and CAM spectra prevent further discrimination between shock diagnostics.

#### 5.2.2 J-shocks and Photo-Dissociation Regions

The integrated fluxes of the \[O I\] 63 $`\mu `$m and \[C II\] 158 $`\mu `$m emission are comparable for both the North and South outflows (see Table 2). Since the strength of \[C II\] line predicted by shock models is several orders of magnitude fainter than the \[O I\] line, a fraction of the cooling is due to the presence of a PDR or photodissociation region (Hollenbach & Tielens holl99 (1999)). Most of the \[O I\] 63 $`\mu `$m emission is expected to be produced by shock excitation, but a percentage comes from a PDR. And so, to best use the \[O I\] 63 $`\mu `$m and \[C II\] 158 $`\mu `$m lines as diagnostics of the PDR parameters, an estimate of the \[O I\] collisional fraction is necessary. For this, we use the additional information provided by the optical forbidden atomic lines (e. g. \[O I\] $`\lambda `$6300, \[S II\] $`\lambda \lambda `$ 6717/31), and that they are generated by J-shocks, very likely at the Mach Disk (AYA). Implicitly we are assuming that the molecular emission arises at the bow shock wings, where C-shocks dominate the emission.

Near infrared and optical observations suggest a range of J-type shock velocities of $`1535`$ km $`\mathrm{s}^1`$. Assuming vshock = 30 km $`\mathrm{s}^1`$, the predicted ratio of \[O I\] 63 $`\mu `$m to \[O I\] 6300 Å is $`10`$ for n = 105 $`\mathrm{cm}^3`$ (Hollenbach & McKee holl89 (1989)). Since the observed \[O I\] $`\lambda `$6300 flux from the south lobe is $`4.7\times 10^{14}`$ erg s-1 cm-2 arcsec-2, the predicted \[O I\] 63 $`\mu `$m flux over the entire object (r $`2.5`$ ′′) is $`9.2\times 10^{12}`$ erg s-1 cm-2. This is of order $`25\%`$ lower than the LWS flux of $`12\times 10^{12}`$ erg s-1 cm-2. From a comparison of J-shock and C-shock models (c.f. Hollenbach & Mckee holl89 (1989), Draine, Roberge & Dalgarno dra83 (1983); Timmermann tim98 (1998)), we estimate that at n = 105 $`\mathrm{cm}^3`$ the contribution of C-shocks to the \[O I\] 63 $`\mu `$m flux is about 5-10$`\%`$ that of J-shocks. We will assume that about $`20\%`$ of the \[O I\] 63 $`\mu `$m flux corresponds to the PDR component. However, the percentage drops as the shock velocity decreases, and indeed for vshock = 20 km $`\mathrm{s}^1`$, the collisional emission matches the observed LWS flux. The corrected ratio of \[O I\] 63 $`\mu `$m to \[C II\] 158 $`\mu `$m emission is then 0.30. With the corrected value of \[O I\] 63 $`\mu `$m/\[C II\] 158 $`\mu `$m , and the observed LWS \[C II\] flux of 6.8$`\times `$10-5 erg s-1 cm-2 sr-1, PDR models can be used to determine the far-ultraviolet (FUV) flux and gas densities required to reproduce the observations. Two of the models of Kaufman et al.(kau99 (1999)) satisfy the above constrains. For one, the incident FUV flux in units of $`1.6\times 10^3`$erg s-1 cm-2, G0, is 30, at a density of 60 $`\mathrm{cm}^3`$, while for the other G0 = 6, at a density of 5500 $`\mathrm{cm}^3`$.

The integrated flux in the PAHs bands (e.g. at 6.2, 7.7 and 11.3 $`\mu `$m) is correlated with the FUV radiation field (Boulanger et al. bou98 (1998)). Thus the existence of a global FUV field can be indirectly inferred from the presence of extended PAHs emission over the entire FOV of the CVF ISOCAM observations (see Figure 3). However, the PAHs emission could arise anywhere along the line of sight to Cep E.

Cep E is near the Cepheus OB3 association (Sargent sar77 (1977)) with members at distances of 500 - 1000 pc (Crawford & Barnes cra70 (1970); Jordi, Trullois & Galadi-Enríquez jor96 (1996)). Since there are at least 42 bona fide O and B stars in the association (Garmany gar73 (1973); Naylor & Fabian nay99 (1999)), the diffuse FUV field should be sufficient to generate the observed \[C II\] flux. One member, HD 217086 (O7n), could by itself account for a FUV flux with G$`{}_{0}{}^{}`$ 6 if it is at 725 pc (Garmany gar73 (1973)), similar to the distance to Cep E, and separated from Cep E by $``$ 80. Hipparcos measurements of HD 217086 give a parallax of 1.20$`\pm `$ 0.92 milli-arcsec, approximately 100 pc farther away, but the errors are large.

## 6 Results from the Millimetric Observations

### 6.1 13CO Emission

The Cep E outflow can clearly be seen in the 13CO J = 1-0 transition at 110.2 GHz, shown in Figure 9. One of the most interesting features of this figure is how the 13CO emission is almost bounded by the H2 outflow lobes, except at the edge of the south flow, which is breaking through the molecular cloud. Similar behavior is observed for the high velocity CO gas in the HH 211 embedded outflow (Gueth & Guilloteau gg99 (1999); Fig 4), and in HH 1/2 (Moro-Martin et al. amm99 (1999), Fig 2c).

In LTE approximation, using an excitation temperature of 20 K (Ladd & Hodapp lad97 (1997)), an abundance of 13CO/H2 $``$ 1.2$`\times `$10-6 and an inclination angle of 45, the following parameters are derived for the red and blue-shifted outflow lobes respectively: dynamical time scales of 4000 and 8000 years, masses of 0.08 and 0.05 M, kinetic luminosities of 0.1 L for both, and mass loss rates of 7$`\times `$10-6 and 6$`\times `$10-6 M/year. Nevertheless, these estimates are quite uncertain due to spatial filtering problems, core contamination, and the fact that the edges of the outflow are more than 20 ′′ from the phase center of the map, and thus affected by primary beam attenuation.

Figure 10 shows a position-velocity diagram along the outflow axis (PA=10) with the ambient cloud at -11 km $`\mathrm{s}^1`$and the outflow extending approximately from 0 to -20 km $`\mathrm{s}^1`$. Faint (2-$`\sigma `$) emission is also seen at $``$ 30 and -40 km $`\mathrm{s}^1`$. We may be tracing high velocity gas that is concentrated nearer to the source than its low velocity counterpart. The left panel of Figure 11 shows the emission from this gas integrated from -47 to -20 km $`\mathrm{s}^1`$ and from 0 to 25 km $`\mathrm{s}^1`$. There is no correspondence between this high velocity 13CO component and the 12 CO 4-3 bullets detected by Hatchell, Fuller & Ladd (hat99 (1999)). The latter are $`10^{\prime \prime }`$ away from the core and have velocities of -120 and 60 km $`\mathrm{s}^1`$ LSR (a velocity range not covered by our observations). A position-velocity diagram along the axis of the second outflow detected in 12CO by Ladd & Hodapp (lad97 (1997)) (PA=-45) was also constructed but no emission was detected.

Images of the C18O J = 1-0 emission at 109.782182 GHz were also made, and show a core surrounded by a poorly imaged halo. There is no evidence of the Cep E outflow, which is not unexpected from this optically thin emission.

### 6.2 Continuum Emission at 222 GHz and 110 GHz

The right panels of Figure 11 display the continuum emission at 222 GHz and 110 GHz around IRAS 23011+6126. The 222 GHz image shows two unresolved sources in a 1.38′′$`\times `$1.06′′ beam, with integrated fluxes of 90 mJy and 67 mJy respectively. At 110 GHz, the continuum emission is resolved and has a diameter of $``$ 3′′ or $``$ 2200 AU (at 730 pc) and a flux of 35 mJy. It is tempting to interpret this observations as a double source surrounded by an envelope. The presence of a second source strongly suggests that the multiple outflows are due to multiple sources and not to precession. The projected distance between these sources is of $`1.4`$′′ or $`1000`$ AU at 730 pc. This separation implies a long orbital period, even for an intermediate mass system, with a range of $`7\times 10^3`$ \- $`10^4`$ yrs, i.e. larger than the kinematical age of the outflow.

Using a dust temperature of 18 K and $`\beta `$ $``$ 2 (Ladd and Howe lad97b (1997)), a gas-to-dust ratio $``$ 100 and dust opacities of 0.005 cm2g-1 (Preibisch pre93 (1993)), the masses associated with the two 222 GHz sources, within 1.4′′, are 2.5 M and 1.8 M. From the 110 GHz continuum, the mass associated with the envelope is found to be 13.6 M. Ladd & Howe (lad97b (1997)), for comparison, computed a mass of 10 M within a radius of 3000 AU. At 110 GHz, there is no spatial resolution to separate the two sources.

## 7 IRAS 23011+6126 Spectral Energy Distribution

The CVF ISOCAM observations clearly detect an embedded source that we identified with IRAS 23011+6126. Figure 12 shows the composite spectral energy distribution (SED) of IRAS 23011+6126. It resembles that of a Class I source (Lada lad87 (1987)), rather than a Class 0 as proposed by Lefloch et al (lef96 (1996)), based on millimetric observations. Presently, there are reasons to believe that the distinction between Class 0 and Class I is not as sharp as previously thought (see e. g. Gregersen et al. greg00 (2000)).

Following NCGM, model fits to the SED are calculated assuming: (1) a dust opacity dominated by bare silicates at a temperature of 18 K and a density of 7.5$`\times 10^4`$$`\mathrm{cm}^3`$, and (2) silicates with a thin ice mantle at a temperature of 18 K and a density of 6$`\times 10^4`$$`\mathrm{cm}^3`$. The models assume power-law density and temperature distributions, with a core inner radius of 0.065 AU and outer radius of 2500 AU. As Figure 12 shows, the continuum level of CAM observations near log($`\nu `$) $``$ 13.3 is lower than that of the bare silicates model. As the success of the model using silicates with a thin ice mantle suggests, this can be attributed to absorption by H2O at 10-12 $`\mu `$m . The effect has been noticed in other low mass protostars such as Elias 29 (Boogert boo99 (1999)). This model produces a mass envelope of 13.2 M and bolometric luminosity of $`34`$ L. Comparable masses have been obtained assuming a constant density over a spherical volume (10 M, Ladd & Howe lad97b (1997)) and in dust temperature dependent models (18 M, Lefloch et al. lef96 (1996)). The bolometric luminosity derived by our models, however, is a factor of 2 smaller that these cases $`30`$ L versus 70 L or 100 L. We suspect the discrepancy is due to the integration methods used, since coarse approximations overestimate the integrated flux. Our estimates of the luminosity and envelope mass are more appropriate for an intermediate mass object rather than a low mass Class I system; although not as massive and luminous as IRAS 05553+1631 (= GAL 192.16-03.82) (Shepherd et al. shep98 (1998)) or IRAS 20126+4104 (Shepherd et al. shep00 (2000)).

## 8 Conclusions

The Cep E outflow has been studied in the mid ($`517`$ $`\mu `$m) and far infrared ($`40200`$ $`\mu `$m) using the ISO instruments CAM and LWS, and at millimetric wavelengths (110.2 and 222 GHz) using OVRO. In the near and mid-IR, the Cep E morphology is similar to that expected for a jet driven outflow, where the leading bow shocks entrain and accelerate the surrounding molecular gas (e. g. Raga & Cabrit raga93 (1993); Masson & Chernin mass93 (1993)). As expected, fine structure atomic/ionic emission lines are found, which very likely come from the leading bow shock, in both the Mach Disk and the stagnation tip, where J-shocks are dominant (Figure 13). The H2, H2O and CO molecular emission could arise further ‘downstream’ at the bow shock wings where the shocks are oblique and more likely to be C-type (Smith smith91 (1991)). The range of shock velocities to excite these species is $`835`$ km $`\mathrm{s}^1`$. The 13CO emission arises from entrained molecular gas and, as in other outflows, a compact high velocity emission is observed, together with an extended low velocity component that almost coincides spatially with the H2 near-IR emission. The millimetric continuum emission shows two sources. We identify one of them with IRAS 23011+6126 and we postulate that it is the driver of the Cep E outflow; the other, also an embedded source, is likely to be driving one of other outflows observed in the region. Finally, the strong \[C II\] 158 $`\mu `$m emission must originate from an extended PDR, very likely excited by the nearby Cepheus OB3 association. Our main conclusions are:
1. The mid infrared spectra show strong pure rotational H2 lines, that coincide spatially with the H2 1-0 S(1) 2.12 $`\mu `$m emission. Excitation diagrams indicate that this emission is coming from a region at 1000$``$1300 K, in agreement with the post-shock temperatures expected for shock velocities in the range 20$``$30 km $`\mathrm{s}^1`$, consistent with C-shock diagnostics of H2 line ratios.
2. The far infrared spectrum is rich in H2O and CO lines. The line fluxes can be modeled using an LVG code, assuming that the H2O and CO emission arises from the same region. Two extreme models fit the observations, with temperatures either of 220 or 1200 K (Table 4). The resulting H2O abundances are between 100 and 4000 times greater than the one found in quiescent molecular clouds, confirming once more the presence of high water abundance in the shocked gas associated with young stellar outflows. From comparison with shock models, we conclude that C-shocks with vshock $``$ 8-14 km $`\mathrm{s}^1`$ can reproduce the H2O and CO observations.
3. Two strong atomic lines \[O I\] 63 $`\mu `$m and \[C II\] 158 $`\mu `$m are present in the LWS spectra. The ratio of their fluxes is close to 1, indicating a PDR origin. Taking into account the significant contribution to the \[O I\] line from J-shocks, and comparing with PDR models (Kaufman et al kau99 (1999)), we find that two models reproduce the observations, G0 = 30, n = 60 $`\mathrm{cm}^3`$ and G0 = 6, n = 5500 $`\mathrm{cm}^3`$ erg s-1 cm-2, where G0 is the incident FUV flux in units of $`1.6\times 10^3`$ erg s-1 cm-2. Cep E is relatively close to the Cepheus OB3 association, which can produce the diffuse FUV field required by these models.
4. The bipolar outflow can be seen in the high resolution 13CO image at 110.2 GHz. This emission is bounded by the H2 condensations. Outflow velocities extend from 0 to -20 km $`\mathrm{s}^1`$, and are centered on the ambient cloud velocity of -11 km $`\mathrm{s}^1`$. There is also evidence for high velocity gas at 30 and -40 km $`\mathrm{s}^1`$ very close to the source. From the 13CO observations we estimate, for the North and South outflows lobes respectively, time scales of 4000 and 8000 years, masses of 0.08 and 0.05 M, similar kinetic luminosities of 0.1L for both, and mass loss rates of $`7\times 10^6`$ and $`6\times 10^6`$ L/year. This confirms that the outflow is very young as the high water abundance seems to indicate.
5. The continuum images at 222 GHz show the presence of two unresolved sources within the positional error bars of IRAS 23011+6126. The masses associated with them are 2.5 M and 1.8 M. The lower spatial resolution of the continuum observations at 110 GHz allow us to detect the surrounding envelope which has a mass of 13.6 M and a radius of 1100 AU. No evidence is found for any of the other outflows observed at near-infrared of radio wavelengths. The presence of a second source, however, strongly suggests that the multiple outflows are due to multiple sources and not to precession. The separation of these sources is about 1.4′′or $`1000`$ AU, and so even for an intermediate mass system, the binary period would be of the order of $`7\times 10^310^4`$ yrs, which is longer than the kinematical age of the outflow.
6. A simple envelope model for the spectral energy distribution of IRAS 23011+6126 predicts a mass envelope of 13.2 M and a luminosity of $`30`$ L from silicates with thin ice mantles. The spectral features observed at 5$``$17$`\mu `$m in IRAS 23011+6126 are closer to those of a Class I source, and the mass and luminosity estimated are those of an intermediate mass YSO, rather than a low mass Class 0 object.

We thank Babar Ali of the IPAC ISO group for his insights on the ISOCAM data reduction, and John Bieging and the referee for their helpful comments. A.N-C. & S.M. work was supported in part by JPL, California Institute of Technology, under a contract with NASA. L.T. was partially supported by the Agenzia Spaziale Italiana through grant ASI ARS-78-1999. J. Cernicharo thanks Spanish DGES for support under grants PB96-0883 and PNIE98-1351. The ISO Spectral Analysis Package (ISAP) is a joint development by the LWS and SWS Instrument Teams and Data Centers. Contributing institutes are Centre d’Etude Spatiale des Rayonnements (France), Institute d’Astrophysique Spatiale (France), Infrared Processing and Analysis Center (United States), Max-Planck-Insitut für Extraterrestrische Physisk (Germany), Rutherford Appleton Laboratories United Kingdom) and the Space Research Organization, Netherlands. The Owens Valley millimeter-wave array is supported by NSF grant AST-99-81546. Research on young star and disk systems is also supported by the Norris Planetary Origins Project and NASA’s Origins of Solar Systems program (through grant NAG-5-4591).

Figure Captions