Searches for Magnetic Monopoles and Other Stable Massive Particles

Abstract

The Standard Model (SM) of the microcosm provides an excellent description of the phenomena of the microcosm, with the triumph of the discovery of the Higgs boson. There are many reasons, however, to believe that the SM is incomplete and represents a valid theory at relatively low energies only. Of particular interest are the models based on complete symmetries, such as those attempting a true unification between leptons and quarks in terms of a single symmetry group (Grand Unified Theories, GUTs) and those attempting unification between fermions and bosons, such as the supersymmetry. This chapter is devoted to the description of stable and massive particles not predicted within the SM, their energy loss mechanisms and their searches in the cosmic radiation. The stability of these particles means that if they were produced at any time in the thermal history of the Universe, they would still be present as relic particles. Examples of stable massive particles discussed in this chapter include magnetic monopoles, strange quark matter and supersymmetric particles. In particular, we focus on the status of searches for magnetic monopoles (also inducing proton-decay processes), nuclearites and Q-balls in neutrino telescopes.