TOD

Abstract

I will review recent progress in modelling knotted solitons in the Skyrme-Faddeev model using elastic rods. The effective elastic rod model is simple to use, and can in some cases be solved analytically. It has enabled the discovery of new solitonic states which had eluded direct numerical simulations of the field theory. This suggests more generally that elasticity theory could be a useful tool in the study of solitons.