Rare cosmological events recorded in muscovite mica

TL;DR

This paper reports the discovery of rare cosmological events recorded in muscovite mica, suggesting these events are of cosmological origin and not explained by known particle interactions, with implications for understanding cosmic phenomena.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method of detecting rare cosmological events using fossil tracks in muscovite mica, revealing evidence of interactions not explained by existing particle physics.

Findings

Evidence of cosmological origin events in mica

Events occur during crystal metastable state

Distinctive damage tracks in mica

Abstract

A study of fossil tracks of charged particles recorded in crystals of muscovite has revealed evidence of rare events of cosmological origin. The events are not compatible with known particle interactions with matter. They were recorded during a period when the crystals were in a metastable state during cooling after growth 13km water equivalent underground. In this state a phase transition can be triggered by low energy events in the range 1eV to 10keV, when the crystals effectively behave as solid-state bubble chambers. At higher energies the chemical etching technique can be used to reveal massive damage to the lattice. The rare events show evidence of interaction with the crystal over a great range of energies. They leave a distinctive record that is easily recognised.