Slow Magnetic Monopole: Interaction with Matter and New Possibility of Their Detection

Abstract

The possibility of existence of a magnetic monopole has been surveyed by P. Dirac even in 1931, and then from the point of view of the modern theory by A.M. Polyakov and G.~ &#39;tHooft in 1974. Numerous and unsuccessful attempts of experimental search for monopole in cosmic rays and on accelerators in high energy particle collisions have been done. Also the searches have been carried out in mica for monopole tracks as well as for relict monopoles, entrapped by ferromagnetic inclusions in iron-ores, moon rock and meteorites. These entrapped monopoles, when released, would have the lowest velocities $β<10^{-6}$ and do not yield ionization at all, and are hard to detect. Therefore it is necessary to examine thoroughly the mechanisms of slow heavy monopole interaction with matter and their scale of energy loss. We discuss here the interaction of a massive slow magnetic monopole with magnetically ordered matter, with conductors, superconductors and with condensed matter in general. Our results indicate that the energy loss of a slow supermassive monopole reach $10^{8} eV/cm$ and more if we take into consideration the Cherenkov radiation of magnons or phonons and conductivity of the media. A new method of search for cosmic and relict monopoles by magnetically ordered film is considered too. This approach resembles the traditional method of nuclear emulsion chamber. Apparently the proposed method is particularly attractive for detection of relict monopoles, released from melting iron ore.