Buchmuller, WilfriedDomcke, ValerieSchmitz, Kai2021-03-262021-03-262021-03-262020-12-1010.1016/j.physletb.2020.135914https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/176586WOS:000612225400056We interpret the recent NANOGrav results in terms of a stochastic gravitational wave background from metastable cosmic strings. The observed amplitude of a stochastic signal can be translated into a range for the cosmic string tension and the mass of magnetic monopoles arising in theories of grand unification. In a sizable part of the parameter space, this interpretation predicts a large stochastic gravitational wave signal in the frequency band of ground-based interferometers, which can be probed in the very near future. We confront these results with predictions from successful inflation, leptogenesis and dark matter from the spontaneous breaking of a gauged B - L symmetry. (C) 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.Astronomy & AstrophysicsPhysics, NuclearPhysics, Particles & FieldsPhysicsevolutiontext::journal::journal article::research article