Next Frontiers in Magnetic Monopole Searches

11 Sep 2026, 16:00 → 14 Sep 2026, 16:00 Asia/Shanghai

Institute of High Energy Physics, CAS

This workshop aims to bring together theorists and experimentalists to chart the path for the next-generation dedicated search for magnetic monopoles in cosmic rays.

The important goal of this workshop is to formalize a concrete experimental proposal—named MANDATE (Monopole And Nuclear Detector at Tibet Elevation)—and to define its physics case, design, deployment strategy, and timeline. A key focus will be exploring the distinct advantage of coupling such a dedicated search with non-dedicated cosmic ray observatories, such as LHAASO, to maximize sensitivity and scientific reach.

Topics to be Covered:

• Theory & Phenomenology: GUT-scale and low-scale monopole production, cosmological and astrophysical implications (primordial magnetic fields, phase transitions), and related topics.

• Experimental Landscape: Review of current and past monopole searches (direct and indirect), limits, and detection techniques.

• Cosmic Ray Synergies: How a major cosmic ray experiment can enhance a dedicated monopole search, and whether a dedicated search could, in turn, benefit the cosmic ray experiment.

• Exotic Particle Searches: Discussion of other highly-ionizing exotic particles (e.g., nuclearites, Q-balls) that could be pursued with similar detector technologies.

• The MANDATE Proposal: Dedicated discussions to refine the physics case, detector concept, deployment scenarios, and projected sensitivity.

• Collaboration & Roadmap: Steps toward a Conceptual Design Report (CDR) and formation of a collaborative effort.

Outcome: The workshop will conclude with a plan to produce a CDR detailing the physics motivation, experimental design, deployment options, and timeline for MANDATE. This document will serve as the foundation for seeking institutional support and launching a new dedicated experiment.

We welcome contributions from theorists, cosmic-ray physicists, particle experimentalists, and instrument developers interested in pioneering the next frontier in monopole discovery.

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Local Organizing Committee:

1. 杰 杜 (Du Jie), IHEP

2. 任山君 (Ren Shanjun), IHEP

3. Igor Ostrovskiy, IHEP

 

International Advisory Board:

1. Vasiliki Mitsou,  IFIC - CSIC / U. Valencia

2. Nick Mavromatos, Natl. Tech. U. Athens and King's Coll. London

3. Oliver Gould, U. Nottingham

4. Daniele Perri, Warsaw U.

5. Albert DeRoeck, Imperial College London

6. Andrey Alexandrov, INFN Napoli

7. Rafael Alves Batista, Sorbonne/IAP

8. Michele Doro, U. Padova

9. |张寿山 (Zhang Shoushan), IHEP

NFMMS_poster_final_version_fullres_CCAST_logo.pdf

Friday, 11 September

17:30 → 20:00 Welcome reception

Refreshments will be served on the first floor of the Interdisciplinary building.

Saturday, 12 September

09:00 → 09:30 Coffee break

09:30 → 10:15 Opening and Overview

09:30 Welcome remarks from the EPD director

Speaker: Liangjian Wen (高能所)

09:40 Logisitics

Speaker: LOC

09:50 Overview and goals

Speaker: Igor Ostrovskiy

10:05 Group photo

10:15 → 11:45 CR experiments I

10:15 Review of ultra-high-energy cosmic ray observations with extensive air shower experiments

Speaker: Toshihiro Fujii (Osaka Metropolitan University)

10:45 High energy neutrino telescopes in water and ice

Speaker: Anna Obertacke (Stockholm University)

11:15 Subliminal monopole search results with time-based trigger selection approach using the NOvA far detector data

Speaker: Alexander Antoshkin (Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (RU))

11:30 A Mass-Speed relation Framework for Relativistic Magnetic Monopole Searches

Speaker: Michele Doro (University of Padova)

11:45 → 13:20 Lunch Break

13:20 → 15:20 Theory I

13:20 Theory overview of low-mass monopoles

Speaker: Nikolaos Mavromatos (Nat. Tech. U. Athens and King's College London)

13:50 Next frontiers for magnetic monopole searches

Speaker: Oliver Gould (University of Nottingham)

14:20 Monopoles and Cosmological Magnetic Fields

Speaker: Takeshi Kobayashi (SISSA)

14:50 Self-Consistent Parker Bound on Magnetic Monopoles

Speaker: Chen Zhang (Northeastern University (China))

15:05 Cosmological Implications of the Slingshot Effect

Speaker: Maximilian Bachmaier (Max-Planck-Institute for Physics)

15:20 → 15:40 Coffee break

15:40 → 17:10 MANDATE I

15:40 Status and Prospects of MANDATE

Speaker: Igor Ostrovskiy

16:10 Nuclear track detectors for magnetic monopole searches in large area experiments

Speaker: maurizio spurio (University of Bologna and INFN)

16:40 Scanning needs, prospects

Speaker: Andrey Alexandrov (INFN-Napoli)

17:10 → 17:40 Discussion I

18:30 → 21:00 Social program: Dinner

Sunday, 13 September

09:00 → 10:30 CR experiments II

09:00 Space-based searches: MMs and other HIPs

Speaker: Yi Jia (高能所)

09:30 Introduction to the LHAASO Experiment and Results Highlights

Speaker: Shoushan Zhang (Institute of High Energy Physics)

10:00 CRPropa 3.3: A Unified Multimessenger Framework for SM Physics and Beyond

Speaker: Andrey Saveliev (Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University)

10:15 Simulation of arrival directions of low-mass magnetic monopoles with CRPropa: comparison with UHECRs data and implications for next-generation monopole searches

Speaker: Ala'a AL-Zetoun (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

10:30 → 10:50 Coffee break

10:50 → 12:35 Theory II

10:50 Cosmological Implications of GUT Monopoles

Speaker: 也铃(Ye-Ling) 周(Zhou) (University of Southampton)

11:20 Non-inflationary solution to monopole problem

Speaker: Perri Daniele (University of Warsaw)

11:50 Numerical simulations of magnetic monopole evolution in an expanding universe

Speaker: Riikka Seppä (University of Helsinki)

12:20 Cosmological Constraints on Magnetic Monopoles as Accelerating Dark Matter

Speaker: Krzysztof Szafrański (Faculty of Physics, University of Warsaw)

12:35 → 13:35 Lunch Break

13:35 → 20:05 Social program: Excursions

Monday, 14 September

09:00 → 10:30 Theory III

09:00 Monopoles production by dual Schwinger process

Speaker: Arttu Rajantie (Imperial College London)

09:30 Searching for Strangelets and Macro-SQM Candidates from Neutron Stars, Binary Mergers, and Gamma‑Ray Bursts: Multimessenger Constraints and Direct‑Detection Prospects

Speaker: Chitta Ranjan Das (The Bogoliubov Laboratory of Theoretical Physics, International intergovernmental scientific research organization Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, 6 Joliot-Curie St, Dubna, Moscow Region, Russia, 141980)

10:00 A Simple Formalism for Treating Quantum Solitons

Speaker: Jarah Evslin (Institute of Modern Physics, Lanzhou)

10:15 MMs as UHECRs

Speaker: Michael Padgett (Vanderbilt University)

10:30 → 11:00 Coffee break

11:00 → 12:15 Alternative approaches

11:00 Cosmic MM searches with SCEP

Speaker: Qing Lin (University of Science and Technology of China)

11:30 Magnetic Monopole and HIP Searches with TPCs: First Experience from ALICE

Speaker: Mesut Arslandok (Yale Univesity)

12:00 Silicon Photomultiplier - an Optical Sensor for High Energy Physics and Astrophysics

Speaker: Valeri Saveliev (BFU)

12:15 → 13:45 Lunch break

13:45 → 14:15 Discussion II

13:45 Towards MANDATE CDR

14:10 Summary&Farewell