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With $D_i={\partial }_i-i{A}_i$ and $B={\partial }_1{A}_2-{\partial }_2{A}_1$, use the critical-coupling energy $E=\int [B^2/2+|D_i\varphi {|}^2/2+(1-|\varphi {|}^2{)}^2/8]d^{2}x$. For positive vortex number, integration by parts givesThe boundary divergence vanishes for the usual decaying vortex fields, and magnetic flux is $2\pi N$. The two squares vanish exactly at the Bogomolny vortex equations. Reversing both signs treats negative $N$. Energy coefficients and the numerical bound change together under other normalizations.

Use metric $(+--)$, $D_{\mu }={\partial }_{\mu }-i{a}_{\mu }$ and Lagrangian $-f_{\mu \nu }{f}^{\mu \nu }/4+\overline{D_{\mu }\varphi }{D}^{\mu }\varphi /2-(1-|\varphi {|}^2{)}^2/8$. The Euler-Lagrange field equations are $D_{\mu }{D}^{\mu }\varphi +(|\varphi {|}^2-1)\varphi /2=0$ and ${\partial }_{\mu }{f}^{\mu \nu }=\mathrm{Im}(\bar{\varphi }{D}^{\nu }\varphi )$. Varying $\bar{\varphi }$ gives a kinetic contribution $-D_{\mu }{D}^{\mu }\varphi /2$ and potential contribution $(1-|\varphi {|}^2)\varphi /4$; variation of $a_{\nu }$ gives ${\partial }_{\mu }{f}^{\mu \nu }-\mathrm{Im}(\bar{\varphi }{D}^{\nu }\varphi )$. For static fields in temporal gauge $a_0=0$, the positive Bogomolny vortex equations imply the scalar equation because $(D_1-i{D}_2)(D_1+i{D}_2)=D_1^2+D_2^2+B$. They imply the spatial gauge equations because $\mathrm{Im}(\bar{\varphi }{D}_1\varphi )=-{\partial }_2|\varphi {|}^2/2$ and $\mathrm{Im}(\bar{\varphi }{D}_2\varphi )={\partial }_1|\varphi {|}^2/2$, while $B=(1-|\varphi {|}^2)/2$. The Gauss equation then vanishes identically.

For metric $8|dz{|}^2/(1-|z{|}^2{)}^2$, these smooth fields satisfy the Bogomolny vortex equations with one simple zero at the origin. Their curvature coefficient is $F_{12}=4/(1+|z{|}^2{)}^2$, and their physical magnetic field is $(1-|z{|}^2{)}^2/[2(1+|z{|}^2{)}^2]=(1-|\Phi {|}^2)/2$. The magnetic flux is $2\pi$, and the critically coupled energy in the conformal-surface vortex square completion normalization is $\pi$.

Away from zeros of the Higgs field, write $\varphi =e^{u+i\chi }$ with $u=\log |\varphi |$. The Bogomolny vortex equation $(D_1+i{D}_2)\varphi =0$ gives $a_1={\chi }_1+u_2$ and $a_2={\chi }_2-u_1$. Consequently $\mathbf{a}=\nabla \chi -J\nabla u$, where $J(v_1,v_2)=(-v_2,v_1)$, and $B=-\Delta u$ on a regular phase patch. If the contours of $u$ and $\chi$ are orthogonal, then $\nabla u\cdot \nabla \chi =0$, so $\mathbf{a}\cdot \nabla u=0$: the gauge potential is tangent to constant-amplitude contours. This does not imply that it is curl-free. At a vortex zero, $u\to -\infty$ and the phase is only locally defined. Including phase winding distributionally gives $\Delta u+(1-e^{2u})/2=2\pi {\sum }_j{n}_j{\delta }^{(2)}(x-X_j)$. The usual Taubes equation uses $2u=\log |\varphi {|}^2$, so its delta coefficients double.

When $|\Phi |\to 1$ and its gauge covariant derivative decays fast enough, on a large circle write $\Phi =\rho e^{i\chi }$ locally. The tangential derivative gives $A=d\chi -\mathrm{Im}(\overline{\Phi }D\Phi )/{\rho }^2$. The integrated error tends to zero, so Stokes theorem turns total magnetic flux into the phase change $2\pi N$. This integer is the winding number of the normalized Higgs field on the circle. For positive Bogomolny vortex equations it is the total zero multiplicity.

The Bogomolny equations are first-order equations obtained by expressing a static energy as nonnegative squares plus a term fixed by the topological charge. Vanishing of the squares minimizes the energy in that topological sector. In particular, the solutions satisfy the full second-order field equations, since their first variation vanishes for compactly supported variations preserving the boundary data. Both monopole and vortex realizations illustrate this mechanism.

For a Yang-Mills theory with gauge group SU(2) and an adjoint Higgs field ${\Phi }^a$, take the static, purely magnetic energyHere $B_i^a=\frac{1}{2}{ϵ}_{ijk}{F}_{jk}^a$, and $e$ is the gauge coupling. In the Bogomolny limit ${\lambda }_H=0$, retain the boundary condition $|\Phi |\to v_H>0$; it breaks SU(2) to U(1) at infinity even though the scalar potential has been removed. The normalized Higgs field on the sphere at infinity defines a map $S_{\infty }^2\to S^2$ of topological degree $n$. In a consistent magnetic orientation the asymptotic flux is $g_m=4\pi n/e$, andFor example, this equality follows by projecting the asymptotic gauge curvature on the Higgs direction: its flux is the integral of the target-sphere area form, divided by $e$.

The gauge-theory Bianchi identity $D_i{B}_i=0$ makes the cross term a divergence:For either sign $s=\pm 1$, complete the square:Choosing $s=\mathrm{sgn}n$ givesThese are the Bogomolny-Prasad-Sommerfield monopole equations. A nonzero scalar potential would add a positive term; a nontrivial smooth monopole with a core cannot generally saturate this same bound at ${\lambda }_H>0$. The Bogomolny monopole equations imply Yang-Mills-Higgs equations: the Bianchi identity already gives $D_i{D}_i\Phi =0$, and the square-completion argument gives stationarity with respect to the gauge field as well.

An explicit charge-one solution is furnished by the hedgehog ansatz for a monopole. To fix its signs, use component conventions $D_i\Phi ={\partial }_i\Phi -e{A}_i\times \Phi$ and $F_{ij}={\partial }_i{A}_j-{\partial }_j{A}_i-e{A}_i\times A_j$. With $\rho =e{v}_{H}r$ and $\hat{x}=x/r$, putThe radial and transverse parts of $D_i\Phi$ are $e{v}_H^2{H}^{\prime }{\hat{x}}_i{\hat{x}}^a$ and $v_{H}HK({\delta }_{ia}-{\hat{x}}_i{\hat{x}}^a)/r$. The corresponding parts of $B_i^a$ are $(1-K^2){\hat{x}}_i{\hat{x}}^a/(e{r}^2)$ and $-v_H{K}^{\prime }({\delta }_{ia}-{\hat{x}}_i{\hat{x}}^a)/r$. Therefore $B=D\Phi$ reduces toThe Prasad-Sommerfield radial monopole solution isDirect differentiation verifies both equations. Near $\rho =0$, $K=1-{\rho }^2/6+O({\rho }^4)$ and $H=\rho /3+O({\rho }^3)$, so the apparent angular singularities disappear and the fields are smooth. At infinity $K$ decays exponentially while $H=1-1/\rho +O(e^{-2\rho })$, leaving an Abelian $1/(e{r}^2)$ magnetic field and mass $4\pi v_H/e$.

Translations of this magnetic monopole give three collective coordinates; a residual U(1) phase provides another in the framed description, where gauge transformations are fixed at infinity. Multimonopole solutions of a common sign also saturate the linear bound. Their widely separated constituents have position and phase parameters, with no static force: the magnetic repulsion and massless-Higgs attraction cancel in this limit. Relative motion is described at low speeds by the moduli-space approximation. An opposite-sign monopole pair does not solve one common sign of the Bogomolny equations and is not protected by that no-force argument.

For the Abelian Higgs model, a second realization occurs in the plane. Let $\psi$ be a complex Higgs field, $D_i={\partial }_i-ie{A}_i$, $B={\partial }_1{A}_2-{\partial }_2{A}_1$, and choose the critically coupled static energyDifferent conventions for the scalar kinetic coefficient change the numerical coefficients of both the bound and the equations. This normalization gives scalar and gauge masses $\sqrt{2}e{v}_H$, explaining the critical balance of their long-distance forces. In three spatial dimensions the planar solutions describe straight strings with this energy per unit length.

Finite energy requires $|\psi |\to v_H$ and $D_i\psi \to 0$. On a large circle the Higgs phase winds by $2\pi n$, so the magnetic flux quantization of an Abelian Higgs vortex givesWriting $J_i=\mathrm{Im}(\bar{\psi }{D}_i\psi )$, expansion and integration by parts giveThe divergence integrates to zero for the usual localized vortex boundary conditions. Thus the Bogomolny square completion for an Abelian Higgs vortex isFor $n\ge 0$ the Bogomolny vortex equations and bound areFor $n<0$, reverse the sign in both first-order equations and obtain $E=2\pi v_H^2|n|$.

For a rotationally symmetric positive vortex number, use $\psi =v_{H}f(r)e^{in\theta }$ and the physical angular component $A_{\theta }=na(r)/(er)$. The Bogomolny vortex equations becomewith $f(0)=a(0)=0$ and $f(\infty )=a(\infty )=1$. The regular core behaves as $f\sim c{r}^n$ and $a\sim e^2{v}_H^2{r}^2/(2n)$. Linearization at infinity gives exponentially decaying massive tails. Unlike the radial monopole, these planar radial profiles have no elementary closed form in general.

The general multi-vortex solution can be encoded by the Taubes equation. Away from zeros, write $\psi =v_H{e}^{h/2+i\chi }$. The first equation givesAt zeros $z_a$ of multiplicity $m_a$, the phase contributes circulation $2\pi m_a$. The second equation becomes, including these Dirac delta terms,For prescribed zeros the planar existence result gives a solution; the prescribed-zero construction of planar Abelian Higgs vortices reconstructs smooth fields, with $h=2m_a\log |x-z_a|+O(1)$ near each zero. Uniqueness is visible directly: for two solutions with the same zeros, their nonsingular difference $w$ satisfies $\Delta w=2e^2{v}_H^2(e^{h_1}-e^{h_2})$. Multiplying by $w$ and integrating giveshence $w=0$. The Abelian Higgs vortex moduli space has arbitrary unordered positions of the $n$ zeros, giving $2n$ real position parameters. The saturated energy is independent of their positions, so critically coupled vortices have no static interaction energy. Away from critical coupling this cancellation is lost.

The topological degree assigns an integer to a continuous map $f:M\to N$ between closed, connected, oriented manifolds of the same dimension $d$. Their top homology groups are infinite cyclic, generated by their fundamental classes. The induced map definesFor a smooth map and a regular value $y$, its equivalent local description iswhere the sign records preservation or reversal of orientation. The preimage is a finite set because the manifolds are compact and $y$ is regular. This is a signed count; opposite-orientation preimages cancel. If $\omega$ is a normalized target volume form with ${\int }_N\omega =1$, the pullback of a differential form gives the equivalent integral $\mathrm{deg}f={\int }_M{f}^{\ast }\omega$.

The homotopy invariance of mapping degree follows because homotopic maps induce the same homology map. In the smooth description, apply Stokes theorem to a homotopy $F:M\times [0,1]\to N$:since a top-dimensional form on $N$ is closed. Thus degree cannot change during a smooth deformation preserving the relevant boundary conditions. Degrees multiply under composition, and a nonzero-degree map is surjective: a missed target point would give a regular value with an empty preimage and hence degree zero.

For maps $S^d\to S^d$, the homotopy group ${\pi }_d(S^d)=\mathbb{Z}$ is completely detected by degree. This supplies integer topological sectors for many classical field-theory solitons. It is important to distinguish two ways spheres arise. In a nonlinear sigma model with the field approaching one fixed target value at infinity, compactify all of ${\mathbb{R}}^d$ to $S^d$ and classify the resulting map into the target. For a defect whose vacuum field varies with direction, retain the sphere $S_{\infty }^{d-1}$ surrounding the core and map it into the vacuum manifold. This is the vacuum-boundary degree as a defect charge. An asymptotic limit is a boundary hypothesis; finite energy alone in every possible model need not imply one.

For an Abelian Higgs vortex, the phase at infinity defines $S^1\to U(1)\cong S^1$. Its degree is the winding numberNonzero $n$ forces a zero of the Higgs field inside: a nowhere-vanishing field would extend its normalized phase through the disk and make the boundary loop contractible. This is also the flux classification of the Bogomolny vortex equations.

For a 't Hooft-Polyakov monopole, the normalized adjoint Higgs field $\hat{\Phi }$ gives $S_{\infty }^2\to SU(2)/U(1)\cong S^2$. With outward orientation its degree isThe integrand is the normalized target area form, so the hedgehog ansatz for a monopole has degree one. Nonzero degree obstructs extending the normalized Higgs direction through the ball; the full Higgs field must leave the vacuum manifold, normally vanishing in its core. The asymptotic unbroken Abelian magnetic flux measures the same integer with a convention-dependent sign.

For the Skyrme model, a field $U:{\mathbb{R}}^3\to SU(2)$ with $U\to 1$ at infinity gives $S^3\to S^3$, because SU(2) as the three-sphere identifies the target. A choice of orientations gives its topological baryon number in the Skyrme model as the winding integral $\pm (24{\pi }^2{)}^{-1}\int \mathrm{tr}(U^{-1}dU{)}^3$; specifying the orientation fixes the sign. Similarly, the transition map at infinity of a four-dimensional Yang-Mills instanton has degree in ${\pi }_3(SU(2))$, measured by its Chern charge.

A scalar-field kink illustrates the discrete-vacuum case: its endpoint data lie in ${\pi }_0(\{\pm 1\})$, rather than being a map between connected positive-dimensional spheres. For the double-well field its topological charge is $Q=[\varphi (+\infty )-\varphi (-\infty )]/2$. A kink has $Q=1$, an antikink $Q=-1$; they cannot individually deform to vacuum while their endpoints are fixed.

Degree classifies topology, rather than every solution. Smooth motion or local perturbations with fixed boundary data preserve it, and a nonzero degree obstructs decay to the vacuum within that class. It does not guarantee existence of a smooth energy minimizer, a fixed size, uniqueness, or dynamical stability. The degree and energetic stability of a field configuration are distinct: a field can shrink towards a singular limit at fixed degree, as Derrick's theorem diagnoses in many two-derivative theories. Moreover degree need not classify all homotopy classes for an arbitrary target; other homotopy groups or invariants may be needed. Within one degree there can be continuous moduli spaces and several stationary solutions.

In the usual smooth localized finite-energy class, the positive potential requires $|\varphi |\to 1$ at infinity and the gauge covariant derivative tends to zero there. On a sufficiently large circle write $\varphi \simeq e^{i\chi }$ locally. Then the tangential gauge potential approaches $d\chi$. The normalized Higgs phase defines a continuous map $S_{\infty }^1\to U(1)$ with integer winding numberThe second equality is Stokes theorem with the chosen orientation and $D_j={\partial }_j-i{a}_j$. Suitable decay makes the integrated covariant-derivative error vanish. Thus magnetic flux quantization of an Abelian Higgs vortex labels disconnected boundary sectors. This uses the standard continuous vacuum asymptotics, not a claim that bare integral finiteness alone supplies every pointwise boundary limit.

A nonzero winding requires zeros of the complex Higgs field somewhere inside: a nowhere-zero field on the whole disk would extend its normalized boundary map and make its winding zero. For isolated zeros the signed local indices sum to $N$. For arbitrary configurations, vortex-antivortex pairs may add zeros without changing $N$, so $|N|$ need not count all unsigned zeros.

The critical coupling relates the charge to a minimum energy. Set $j_i=\mathrm{Im}(\bar{\varphi }{D}_i\varphi )$. The covariant derivative commutator $[D_1,D_2]\varphi =-iB\varphi$ givesDiscarding its vanishing boundary integral and completing the magnetic square yieldsFor positive $N$, the Bogomolny vortex equations are $(D_1+i{D}_2)\varphi =0$ and $B=(1-|\varphi {|}^2)/2$. Reverse both signs for negative charge. HenceCritical-coupling vortex solutions attain this bound; their energy depends only on $|N|$. Positive-charge solutions have $N$ zeros counted with multiplicity, and their positions provide $2N$ real coordinates on the Abelian Higgs vortex moduli space. Coincident zeros are allowed. Position variations leave the static minimum energy unchanged, expressing the absence of static forces among same-sign Bogomolny vortices. The sign of $N$ reverses flux and orientation. Topology alone does not determine an arbitrary field's profile or full energy: the zero-charge vacuum has energy zero, while nonvacuum configurations in the same sector can have positive energy.

For the given radial ansatz, $a_{\theta }$ is the coordinate one-form coefficient: the gauge potential is $a(r)d\theta$, and the orthonormal azimuthal component is $a(r)/r$. Thus $B=a^{\prime }(r)/r$, consistently with the printed energy. Since $h(\infty )=1$, the phase $e^{i\theta }$ has winding one; equivalently $a(0)=0$, $a(\infty )=1$ givesFor the trial functions all energy is inside $0<r<r_0$. Their four contributions to $E/\pi$ areTherefore the compact-core variational estimate for an Abelian Higgs vortex isWriting $s=r_0^2>0$, the derivative is $-2/s^2+1/24$, and the energy diverges at both ends of the $s$ range. The unique global minimum isThe magnetic and potential energies agree at this optimum, as required by radial scale balance. The piecewise fields are continuous with square-integrable first derivatives; their derivative jumps do not create an additional surface energy. They are trial fields, not exact solutions. Their optimized energy is an upper-bound estimate, about 24.4% above the exact critical one-vortex energy $\pi$.

Write $\Omega =e^{2\rho }$, $F={\partial }_x{A}_2-{\partial }_y{A}_1$, and $s=|\Phi {|}^2$, so the physical magnetic field is $B=F/\Omega$. Use finite-energy Abelian Higgs vortex boundary data: the field tends to unit magnitude at the ideal boundary, its phase winds $N$ times, and the boundary limits in the decomposition exist. This vacuum asymptotic behavior is the setting in which the stated degree gives an energy bound. We retain the current boundary term; degree alone must not be silently equated with magnetic flux on an open disk.

Define $j_i=\mathrm{Im}(\bar{\Phi }{D}_i\Phi )$. The gauge-covariant derivative of a charged scalar field satisfies $[D_x,D_y]\Phi =-iF\Phi$. Differentiating the current givesOn the other hand,Combining the two identities and completing the square in the magnetic and potential terms yields the conformal-surface vortex square completionAll integrations on the noncompact metric disk can first be made over $|z|<R<1$ and then passed to the limit. By the Stokes theorem, the two boundary contributions combine to $\frac{1}{2}\oint (A+j)$. At the vacuum boundary write $\Phi =e^{i\chi }$. Then $j=d\chi -A$, so this combined integral is $\frac{1}{2}\oint d\chi =\pi N$, even if the current term does not vanish separately. The usual additional condition of tangential covariant decay makes that current term vanish and yields magnetic flux quantization of an Abelian Higgs vortex, but is not needed if the combined boundary term has this phase limit. Thus for $N\ge 0$, $V\ge \pi N$. Reversing both signs in the square completion gives $V\ge -\pi N$ for $N\le 0$, henceFor positive degree, equality is attained precisely when the Bogomolny vortex equations areDistinguishing the physical field $B$ from the coordinate curvature coefficient $F$ prevents an erroneous conformal factor.

For the proposed field, set $q=x^2+y^2$ and choose the smooth connection one-formIndeed, with ${\partial }_{\bar{z}}=\frac{1}{2}({\partial }_x+i{\partial }_y)$ and $A_{\bar{z}}=\frac{1}{2}(A_1+i{A}_2)$,The second Bogomolny vortex equation follows fromThus both squares vanish, including at the simple zero $z=0$ by smoothness. At $r\to 1$, $\Phi \to e^{i\vartheta }$ and $A=2r^{2}d\vartheta /(1+r^2)\to d\vartheta$, proving degree one. Moreover, $j_{\vartheta }=4r^2(1-r^2)/(1+r^2{)}^3\to 0$, so the current boundary term really vanishes for this solution. The magnetic flux is explicitlyConsequentlyThis is the hyperbolic one-vortex at curvature minus one half; its finite energy follows directly from the vanishing squares and the finite flux.

At this critical coupling, construct solutions of the Bogomolny vortex equations rather than superpose isolated vortices, which would not respect the nonlinear field equations. Define $D_j={\partial }_j-i{A}_j$ and $j_k=\mathrm{Im}(\overline{\Phi }{D}_k\Phi )$. Direct differentiation using $[D_1,D_2]\Phi =-iB\Phi$ givesIntegrating the last divergence away under the usual finite-energy vortex boundary conditions and completing the magnetic square yieldsThus positive vortices saturate this Bogomolny bound whenSuch fields solve the static second-order equations: under any compactly supported variation the flux is unchanged, and the first variation of both zero squares vanishes. The bound here is $2\pi N$, twice the bound in the frequently used half-normalized Abelian Higgs model energy.

For the prescribed-zero construction of planar Abelian Higgs vortices, choose arbitrary points $z_a\in \mathbb{C}$ and positive integer multiplicities $m_a$, permitting coincident vortices. Away from the zeros, write $\Phi =e^{h/2+i\chi }$, where $h=\log |\Phi {|}^2$. The first Bogomolny vortex equation givesChoose the phase winding $\chi ={\sum }_a{m}_a\arg (z-z_a)$ locally. Distributionally its curl contributes $2\pi {\sum }_a{m}_a{\delta }_{z_a}$, so the second Bogomolny vortex equation becomes the Taubes equationNear each zero, require $h=2m_a\log |z-z_a|+$ a smooth remainder. The planar existence theorem for this equation gives a solution for every finite multiset of prescribed points, unique in this decaying class; see the original theorem. This elliptic existence result is the nontrivial analytic ingredient of the construction, not a linear superposition assumption.

Reconstruct $\Phi =e^{h/2+i\chi }$ and $A$ from the formulas above. The phase factors have integer winding, so $\Phi$ is single-valued. Near a zero, the modulus and phase combine into $(z-z_a{)}^{m_a}$ times a smooth nonvanishing factor. The singular part of $\nabla \chi$ cancels the rotated logarithmic-gradient part of $A$, so the physical fields extend smoothly through the cores. This produces the desired Abelian Higgs vortices at the selected positions. Their vortex number is $N={\sum }_a{m}_a$. Replacing $(A,\Phi )$ by $(-A,\overline{\Phi })$ constructs the negative-sign antivortex family; the positive construction does not assert arbitrary mixtures of positive and negative cores solve the same first-order equations.

Use metric $(+,-,-)$ and the paper's normalization. A static multi-vortex solution is a smooth finite-energy field configuration of Abelian Higgs vortices whose complex Higgs field has winding at spatial infinity and zeros in the plane. In a positive $N$-vortex sector, the zeros have total multiplicity $N$ and the magnetic flux is $2\pi N$; they may be separated or coincident. Finite energy requires $|\varphi |\to 1$, $D_i\varphi \to 0$ and $B=f_{12}\to 0$ at infinity. Then $a_i$ asymptotically compensates the phase gradient, so Stokes' theorem relates flux to the phase winding. The positive Bogomolny vortex equations describe this same-sign sector; negative flux uses the opposite signs and is not covered by simply mixing positive and negative zero multiplicities.

For the critically coupled Abelian Higgs field equations, vary $\varphi$ and $\bar{\varphi }$ independently. After covariant integration by parts,Thus the scalar equation and its complex conjugate areVarying the gauge field gives ${\partial }_{\mu }{f}^{\mu \nu }\delta a_{\nu }$ from the Maxwell term. The matter variation isConsequentlyThese factors use the scalar kinetic coefficient $1/2$; importing the current from a convention with coefficient one would give an incorrect factor two. The current is invariant under gauge transformations, and its conservation follows from the field equations and antisymmetry of $f^{\mu \nu }$.

For the static purely magnetic solutions take temporal gauge $a_0=0$. The scalar equation reduces toSince $[D_1,D_2]=-iB$, applying $D_1-i{D}_2$ to the first Bogomolny vortex equation givesThe second equation sets $B=(1-|\varphi {|}^2)/2$, proving the scalar equation, including at smooth vortex cores without dividing by $\varphi$.

For the spatial gauge equations, put $k_i=\mathrm{Im}(\bar{\varphi }{D}_i\varphi )$. The first equation implies $D_1\varphi =-i{D}_2\varphi$, and ${\partial }_i|\varphi {|}^2=2\mathrm{Re}(\bar{\varphi }{D}_i\varphi )$. ThereforeWith the stated metric, $j^i=-k_i$ and the two static Maxwell equations are ${\partial }_{2}B=k_1$ and ${\partial }_{1}B=-k_2$. Both follow by differentiating $B=(1-|\varphi {|}^2)/2$. The time component is the Gauss law constraint in gauge theory; it is identically satisfied because both the electric field and $j^0$ vanish in this static temporal gauge. HenceAs an energy check, the Bogomolny square completion for an Abelian Higgs vortex gives $E\ge \pi N$ in this normalization, saturated by these equations. On the plane, the Abelian Higgs vortex moduli space admits arbitrary vortex positions, including coincidence; its static energy is $\pi N$, so there is no position-dependent static potential. Their slow dynamical interactions are a different question.

The logarithmic form of a Bogomolny vortex is only local away from zeros. Write $\varphi =e^{u+i\chi }$ there, with $u=\log |\varphi |$. ThenSeparating the real and imaginary parts of $(D_1+i{D}_2)\varphi =0$ yields $u_1-{\chi }_2+a_2=0$ and ${\chi }_1-a_1+u_2=0$. Hencewhere $J(v_1,v_2)=(-v_2,v_1)$ is the positive quarter-turn. Under a gauge transformation, $\chi \mapsto \chi +\omega$ and $\mathbf{a}\mapsto \mathbf{a}+\nabla \omega$, as this relation requires.

At regular contour points, the stipulated orthogonality means $\nabla \chi \cdot \nabla u=0$. Since $J\nabla u$ is also perpendicular to $\nabla u$,Thus, in that gauge, the gauge potential is tangent to contours of $u$, equivalently contours of $|\varphi |$, and is parallel to the phase gradient wherever that gradient is nonzero. This is a gauge-dependent statement about the vector potential, not an assertion that the magnetic field is tangent to these curves, nor that the potential is a pure gradient or divergence-free. The two gradient magnitudes are not fixed by contour orthogonality.

On a phase patch $B={\partial }_1{a}_2-{\partial }_2{a}_1=-\Delta u$. Combining with the second equation gives $\Delta u+(1-e^{2u})/2=0$ away from the cores. At a zero of multiplicity $n_j$, $u\sim n_j\log |x-X_j|$, and the phase has winding $2\pi n_j$; $u$ is not a finite real smooth field there. Distributionally, the full equality isThis is the Taubes equation in the paper's amplitude logarithm, rather than the often-used $\log |\varphi {|}^2=2u$ convention. No single smooth globally defined phase or regular contour description at every zero has been assumed.

A Bogomolny bound expresses a static field energy as nonnegative squares plus a term fixed by the topological charge or boundary data. Setting the squares to zero gives the first-order Bogomolny equations. Their solutions minimize the energy in that sector and satisfy the second-order Euler-Lagrange field equations, although a general stationary solution need not attain the bound.

For one real scalar in one spatial dimension, take the Lagrangian densityA finite-energy field configuration in this static sector must approach scalar-field vacua ${\varphi }_{\pm }$ with $W^{\prime }({\varphi }_{\pm })=0$ at the two ends. Completing the square gives the square completion for a one-dimensional kink:Choose the sign for which the boundary term is nonnegative. ThusTaking the derivative of the equality equation gives ${\varphi }_{xx}=W^{\prime }{W}^{\prime \prime }=d([W^{\prime }{]}^2/2)/d\varphi$, the static Euler-Lagrange field equation. The boundary term is invariant under deformations keeping the asymptotic scalar-field vacua fixed; it is not a contribution from the local shape of the kink.

For a phi-four kink, let $c>0$, $W(\varphi )=c^2\varphi -{\varphi }^3/3$, and select the sector ${\varphi }_{-}=-c$, ${\varphi }_{+}=c$. Then $W^{\prime }=c^2-{\varphi }^2$, and the increasing Bogomolny equation is ${\varphi }_x=c^2-{\varphi }^2$. Separating variables yieldsThe integration constant $X$ is the translational collective coordinate. Directly, ${\varphi }_K^{\prime }=c^2{\mathrm{sech}}^2(c(x-X))$ and its energy density is $c^4{\mathrm{sech}}^4(c(x-X))$, whose integral is $4c^3/3$. The decreasing antikink has the reversed boundary values, profile $-{\varphi }_K$, and the same energy. A Lorentz boost produces the exact uniformly moving kink $c\tanh [c\gamma (x-X_0-vt)]$, with Lorentz factor $\gamma =(1-v^2{)}^{-1/2}$ and energy $\gamma M$.