Magnetic Monopole Search with the SLIM Experiment

TL;DR

The SLIM experiment searched for intermediate mass magnetic monopoles using a large array of nuclear track detectors at high altitude, setting new upper limits on their cosmic flux.

Contribution

This work presents the first large-scale, high-altitude search for intermediate mass magnetic monopoles with improved flux limits.

Findings

Flux upper limit of 1.3x10^{-15} 1/(cm^2*s*sr) at 90% C.L.

Sensitive to monopoles with masses 10^5 to 10^12 GeV.

Operated for approximately 4.22 years at Chacaltaya.

Abstract

The SLIM experiment was an array of 427 m^2 of nuclear track detectors, exposed at a high altitude laboratory (Chacaltaya, Bolivia, 5230 m a.s.l.), for ~4.22 years. SLIM was sensitive to downgoing intermediate mass magnetic monopoles with masses in the range 10^5 to 10^12 GeV. The analysis of the full detector gives a flux upper limit of 1.3x10^{-15} 1/(cm^2*s*sr) (90% C.L.) for downgoing fast intermediate magnetic monopoles.