In search of the supermassive magnetic monopole

Physics

Scientific paper

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Scientific paper

During the past three years there has been an intense search for slow, massive magnetic monopoles, presumed to be the oldest observable relics of creation. There is little theoretical guidance as to their expected flux, although such particles are mandatory in a large class of grand unified theories. We review experimental constraints. Superconducting induction experiments provide the most direct upper limit, 1.5 × 10-2 cm-2 sr-1 s-1 at the 90% confidence level, independently of velocity. A Russian group using a large scintillation counter array reports F <~ 2 × 10-15 cm -2 sr-1 s-1 for monopoles with velocities as low as 10-3 c, the local virial velocity in the galaxy. A search for tracks in ancient muscovite mica establishes a limit near 10-19 cm-2 sr-1 s-1 at this velocity, albeit with some interpretative problems. These terrestrial bounds are to be compared with the Parker limit at ~10-15 cm-2 sr-1 s-1 (over most of the expected mass range), a bound at 10-19 cm-2 sr-1 s-1 if magnetic fields survive in clusters of galaxies, and with several limits based upon neutron star observations-~10-22 cm-2 sr-1 s-1 if nucleon decay is or is not catalyzed by monopoles. New induction, scintillation, and proportional wire chamber experiments are in their late construction stages, and a very large array of He-n-pentane streamer chambers, track etch detectors, and scintillators has been proposed. This active and exciting field would be even further stimulated by the discovery of monopoles.
Present address: SSC Central Design Group, LBL Mail Stop 90-4040, Berkeley, CA 94720, U.S.A.

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