Calculation of the stopping power of very-low-velocity magnetic monopoles

Abstract

We calculate the electronic stopping power of slow magnetic monopoles in condensed materials and find that, for $\beta \lesssim 0.01$, $\frac{\mathrm{dE}}{\mathrm{dx}}$ is proportional to the monopole velocity. For monopoles with $g=\pm 137e$ it is found that the monopole stopping power is at least as large as that for a proton with the same velocity. The results presented here are not directly relevant to the evaluation of the response of excitation- and ionization-sensitive particle detectors to slow, supermassive monopoles. However, it is hoped that the techniques presented will be a useful guide in thinking about such problems.