A NEW ROLLING TACHYON SOLUTION OF CUBIC STRING FIELD THEORY

We present a new analytic time dependent solution of cubic string field theory at the lowest order in the level truncation scheme. The tachyon profile we have found is a bounce in time, a C∞ function which represents an almost exact solution, with an extremely good degree of accuracy, of the classical equations of motion of the truncated string field theory. Such a finite energy solution describes a tachyon which at x0 = −∞ is at the maximum of the potential, at later times rolls toward the stable minimum and then up to the other side of the potential toward the inversion point and then back to the unstable maximum for x0 → +∞. The energy-momentum tensor associated with this rolling tachyon solution can be explicitly computed. The energy density is constant, the pressure is an even function of time which can change sign while the tachyon rolls toward the minimum of its potential. A new form of tachyon matter is realized which might be relevant for cosmological applications.