Magnetic Monopoles: Theoretical Insights into the Cosmic Ray Conundrum

TL;DR

This paper explores the theoretical possibility that magnetic monopoles may not be physically realizable due to quantum constraints, impacting their expected signatures in ultra-high energy cosmic ray observations.

Contribution

It provides a quantum theoretical perspective suggesting magnetic monopoles might be unphysical, challenging their role in cosmic ray phenomena and experimental searches.

Findings

Staruszkiewicz's theory implies monopoles may not be physically realizable.

Monopoles could only exist as magnetically neutral configurations.

Implications for monopole detection in cosmic ray experiments.

Abstract

Ultra-high energy (UHE) photons above 10^{18} eV serve as valuable probes of fundamental physics. While typically produced in interactions involving charged particles, they could also originate from exotic sources such as annihilations of magnetically charged monopole-antimonopole pairs or decays of highly accelerated monopoles (10^{21} eV). Detecting such photons would impose constraints on monopole properties. Despite strong theoretical motivations and extensive experimental searches, no monopoles have been observed to date. A possible explanation beyond high monopole masses arises from Staruszkiewicz's quantum theory of infrared electromagnetic fields. His argument, rooted in the positivity of the Hilbert space norm, suggests that isolated magnetic monopoles may not be physically realizable. If correct, this would imply that while monopoles remain mathematically well-defined within field theories, only magnetically neutral configurations could exist in nature.