Search for Ultra-relativistic Magnetic Monopoles with the Pierre Auger Observatory
Abstract
In this paper, we present a search for ultra-relativistic magnetic monopoles with the Pierre Auger Observatory. Such particles, possibly a relic of phase transitions in the early universe, would deposit a large amount of energy along their path through the atmosphere, comparable to that of ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays (UHECRs). The air shower profile of a magnetic monopole can be effectively distinguished by the fluorescence detector from that of standard UHECRs. No candidate was found in the data collected between 2004 and 2012, with an expected background of less than 0.1 event from UHECRs. The corresponding 90% confidence level (C.L.) upper limits on the flux of ultra-relativistic magnetic monopoles range from $$10^{-19}$$ (cm$$^{2}$$ sr s)$$^{-1}$$ for a Lorentz factor $$\gamma=10^9$$ to $$2.5 \times10^{-21}$$ (cm$$^{2}$$ sr s)$$^{-1}$$ for $$\gamma=10^{12}$$. Lastly, these results - the first obtained with a UHECR detector - improve previously published limits by up to an order of magnitude.
- Authors:
-
- Univ. of Siegen (Germany). et al.
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL), Batavia, IL (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), High Energy Physics (HEP)
- Contributing Org.:
- Pierre Auger Collaboration
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1327017
- Alternate Identifier(s):
- OSTI ID: 1328466
- Report Number(s):
- FERMILAB-PUB-16-373-AD-AE-CD-TD; arXiv:1609.04451
Journal ID: ISSN 2470-0010; 1486632
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC02-07CH11359; FR02-04ER41300; FG02-99ER41107; SC0011689
- Resource Type:
- Journal Article: Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Physical Review D
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 94; Journal ID: ISSN 2470-0010
- Publisher:
- American Physical Society (APS)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
Citation Formats
Aab, Alexander. Search for Ultra-relativistic Magnetic Monopoles with the Pierre Auger Observatory. United States: N. p., 2016.
Web. doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.94.082002.
Aab, Alexander. Search for Ultra-relativistic Magnetic Monopoles with the Pierre Auger Observatory. United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.94.082002
Aab, Alexander. 2016.
"Search for Ultra-relativistic Magnetic Monopoles with the Pierre Auger Observatory". United States. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.94.082002. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1327017.
@article{osti_1327017,
title = {Search for Ultra-relativistic Magnetic Monopoles with the Pierre Auger Observatory},
author = {Aab, Alexander},
abstractNote = {In this paper, we present a search for ultra-relativistic magnetic monopoles with the Pierre Auger Observatory. Such particles, possibly a relic of phase transitions in the early universe, would deposit a large amount of energy along their path through the atmosphere, comparable to that of ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays (UHECRs). The air shower profile of a magnetic monopole can be effectively distinguished by the fluorescence detector from that of standard UHECRs. No candidate was found in the data collected between 2004 and 2012, with an expected background of less than 0.1 event from UHECRs. The corresponding 90% confidence level (C.L.) upper limits on the flux of ultra-relativistic magnetic monopoles range from $10^{-19}$ (cm$^{2}$ sr s)$^{-1}$ for a Lorentz factor $\gamma=10^9$ to $2.5 \times10^{-21}$ (cm$^{2}$ sr s)$^{-1}$ for $\gamma=10^{12}$. Lastly, these results - the first obtained with a UHECR detector - improve previously published limits by up to an order of magnitude.},
doi = {10.1103/PhysRevD.94.082002},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1327017},
journal = {Physical Review D},
issn = {2470-0010},
number = ,
volume = 94,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Oct 03 00:00:00 EDT 2016},
month = {Mon Oct 03 00:00:00 EDT 2016}
}
Web of Science
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