  p-wave superconductors allow for topological defects known as skyrmions, in
addition to the usual vortices that are possible in both s-wave and p-wave
materials. In strongly type-II superconductors in a magnetic field, a skyrmion
flux lattice yields a lower free energy than the Abrikosov flux lattice of
vortices, and should thus be realized in p-wave superconductors. We
analytically calculate the energy per skyrmion, which agrees very well with
numerical results. From this, we obtain the magnetic induction B as a function
of the external magnetic field H, and the elastic constants of the skyrmion
lattice, near the lower critical field H_c1. Together with the Lindemann
criterion, these results suffice to predict the melting curve of the skyrmion
lattice. We find a striking difference in the melting curves of vortex lattices
and skyrmion lattices: while the former is separated at all temperatures from
the Meissner phase by a vortex liquid phase, the skyrmion lattice phase shares
a direct boundary with the Meissner phase. That is, skyrmions lattices never
melt near Hc1, while vortex lattices always melt sufficiently close to Hc1.
This allows for a very simple test for the existence of a skyrmion lattice.
Possible muSR experiments to detect skyrmion lattices are also discussed.
