Proton Capture by Magnetic Monopoles

Abstract

The cross section for radiative capture of protons by monopoles is calculated by the use of bound-state and scattering wave functions obtained with the Kazama-Yang Hamiltonian, i.e., with a pointlike proton. For proton velocities $\ensuremath{\beta}={10}^{\ensuremath{-}5}\ensuremath{-}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$, the cross sections for capture into the lowest bound states, with binding energies of 938 MeV, 263 keV, and 105 eV, are found to be of the order of ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}28}$ -${10}^{\ensuremath{-}26}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$. For the state with binding energy of 263 keV, the capture length in water is found to be $170{(\frac{\ensuremath{\beta}}{{10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}})}^{0.48}$ m. Observation of photons from the capture process would indicate the presence of monopoles.