Schwinger pair production of magnetic monopoles: Momentum distribution for heavy-ion collisions

Oliver Gould,David L.-J Ho,Arttu Rajantie

doi:10.1103/physrevd.104.015033

Abstract

Magnetic monopoles may be produced by the dual Schwinger effect in strong magnetic fields. Today, the strongest known magnetic fields in the Universe are produced fleetingly in heavy-ion collisions. We use the complex worldline instanton method to calculate the momentum distribution of magnetic monopoles produced in heavy-ion collisions, in an approximation that includes the effect of the magnetic field to all orders but neglects monopole self-interactions. The result saturates the preparation time-energy uncertainty principle, and yields a necessary ingredient for experimental monopole searches in heavy-ion collisions.

Highlights

The search for magnetic monopoles has a long history, going back at least to Petrus Peregrinus who, in the 13th century searched for isolated magnetic poles in fragments of lodestone
Magnetic monopoles may be produced by the dual Schwinger effect in strong magnetic fields
We use the complex worldline instanton method to calculate the momentum distribution of magnetic monopoles produced in heavy-ion collisions, in an approximation that includes the effect of the magnetic field to all orders but neglects monopole self-interactions

Summary

INTRODUCTION

The search for magnetic monopoles has a long history, going back at least to Petrus Peregrinus who, in the 13th century searched for isolated magnetic poles in fragments of lodestone. For this to be possible it is necessary to have theoretical control of the monopole production cross section at these higher energies. Starting from the FPA and treating the monopole-photon coupling perturbatively, we found that monopole-photon interactions increased the cross section exponentially This is due to the lower threshold energy for producing a monopole-antimonopole bound state which disassociates, than for producing free particles. Both the monopole-photon coupling and the spacetime dependence of the electromagnetic field increase the monopole production cross section. These are all fixed by the geometry of ultraperipheral collisions

MONOPOLE MOMENTA IN THE FREE PARTICLE APPROXIMATION

LIMITATIONS

MONOPOLE MOMENTA FROM THE UNCERTAINTY PRINCIPLE

Findings

CONCLUSIONS