Erlangen 2026 – scientific programme
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T: Fachverband Teilchenphysik
T 35: Searches/BSM II
T 35.4: Talk
Tuesday, March 17, 2026, 17:00–17:15, KH 02.018
Event Selection for the Search of Sub-Relativistic Magnetic Monopoles with the IceCube Neutrino Observatory — •Jonas Häußler1, Bryndis Kern1, Nick Schmeißer2, and Christopher Wiebusch1 — 1RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Deutschland — 2Bergische Universität Wuppertal, Wuppertal, Deutschland
Grand-Unified-Theories predict the existence of magnetic monopoles to be created during transitions from one gauge group to a smaller sub-group. For most GUTs, magnetic monopoles can reach masses above 1014 GeV resulting in sub-relativistic speeds. These magnetic monopoles can catalyze nucleon decays via the Rubakov-Callan effect, resulting in a unique signature of small particle cascades along the trajectory of a slow moving particle. To search for this signature, a dedicated slow particle trigger has been implemented in the IceCube Neutrino Observatory since 2012. The low, if existent, flux of magnetic monopoles requires an exceptional classification, with high background rejection and signal efficiency. In this talk, a multi-level boosted decision tree for the event selection and the sensitivity of IceCube for the detection of sub-relativistic magnetic monopoles, is shown. This talk presents an event selection using a multi-level boosted decision tree, the sensitivity for the detection of sub-relativistic magnetic monopoles, and potential applications to other slow exotic particle searches in IceCube.
Keywords: Magnetic Monopoles; IceCube Neutrino Observatory; Boosted Decision Trees; Event Selection; Rubakov-Callan