The stochastic gravitational wave spectrum resulting from cosmic string evolution

We evaluate in quantitative detail the spectrum of the stochastic background of gravitational waves resulting from cosmic string scenarios for the formation of large-scale structure. Motivated by recent detailed numerical results our formalism is appropriate to a wide spectrum of possibilities for the exact form of the primordial cosmic string distribution function. In light of our results we are able to re-examine the current constraints on cosmic string scenarios arising from searches for such a string generated gravitational background. Both the millisecond pulsar, and nucleosynthesis bounds are strongly reduced compared to earlier estimates.