Search for Relativistic Magnetic Monopoles with IceCube


Abstract in English

We present the first results in the search for relativistic magnetic monopoles with the IceCube detector, a subsurface neutrino telescope located in the South Polar ice cap containing a volume of 1 km$^{3}$. This analysis searches data taken on the partially completed detector during 2007 when roughly 0.2 km$^{3}$ of ice was instrumented. The lack of candidate events leads to an upper limit on the flux of relativistic magnetic monopoles of $Phi_{mathrm{90%C.L.}}sim 3e{-18}fluxunits$ for $betageq0.8$. This is a factor of 4 improvement over the previous best experimental flux limits up to a Lorentz boost $gamma$ below $10^{7}$. This result is then interpreted for a wide range of mass and kinetic energy values.

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