It is shown that the minimal left-right symmetric model admits cosmic string and domain wall solutions. The cosmic strings arise when the ${\mathrm{SU}\left(2\right)\mathrm{}}_R$ is broken and can either be destabilized at the electroweak scale or remain stable through the subsequent breakdown to ${U\left(1\right)\mathrm{}}_{\mathrm{EM}}.$ The strings carry zero modes of the neutrino fields. Two distinct domain wall configurations exist above the electroweak phase transition and disappear after that. Their destabilization provides new sources of non-equilibrium effects below the electroweak scale which is relevant to baryogenesis.

• Received 16 December 1998

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.59.103508