title: New confining force solution of the QCD axion domain-wall problem.
abstract: The serious cosmological problems created by the axion-string-axion-domain-wall system in standard axion models are alleviated by positing the existence of a new confining force. The instantons of this force can generate an axion potential that erases the axion strings long before QCD effects become important, thus preventing QCD-generated axion walls from ever appearing. Axion walls generated by the new confining force would decay so early as not to contribute significantly to the energy in axion dark matter.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, Bartol Research Institute, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware 19716, USA.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Barr
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Kyung Hee University, 26 Gyeongheedaero, Dongdaemun-Gu, Seoul 130-701, Korea.
authors.forename: Jihn E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Kim