String production in the Abelian Higgs vacuum

We numerically study string production by evolving classical Abelian Higgs gauge field wave packets. Initial conditions are constructed for the propagation of a single wave packet and for the collision of two wave packets. We identify regions of parameter space that lead to prompt production of strings from a single wave packet. The collision of two subcritical wave packets can also lead to the production of strings in certain regions of parameter space.