A Search for Magnetized Quark Nuggets (MQNs), a Candidate for Dark Matter, Accumulating in Iron Ore

Physics

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https://doi.org/10.3390/universe10010027
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Keywords

cosmology, dark matter, quark nugget, magnetized quark nugget, MQN, MACRO, strange matter, strange quark matter

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A Search for Magnetized Quark Nuggets (MQNs), a Candidate for Dark Matter, Accumulating in Iron Ore. / VanDevender, J.P.; Sloan, T.; Glissman, M.
In: Universe, Vol. 10, No. 1, 27, 09.01.2024.

Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review

Bibtex

@article{68d24f1e31e340c4b6b587c59411f88c,

title = "A Search for Magnetized Quark Nuggets (MQNs), a Candidate for Dark Matter, Accumulating in Iron Ore",

abstract = "AbstractA search has been carried out for Magnetized Quark Nuggets (MQNs) accumulating in iron ore over geologic time. MQNs, which are theoretically consistent with the Standard Models of Physics and of Cosmology, have been suggested as dark-matter candidates. Indirect evidence of MQNs has been previously inferred from observations of magnetars and of non-meteorite impact craters. It is shown in this paper that MQNs can accumulate in taconite (iron ore) and be transferred into ferromagnetic rod-mill liners during processing of the ore. When the liners are recycled to make fresh steel, they are heated to higher than the Curie temperature so that their ferromagnetic properties are destroyed. The MQNs would then be released and fall into the ferromagnetic furnace bottom where they would be trapped. Three such furnace bottoms have been magnetically scanned to search for the magnetic anomalies consistent with trapped MQNs. The observed magnetic anomalies are equivalent to an accumulation rate of ~1 kg of MQNs per 1.2 × 108 kg of taconite ore processed. The results are consistent with MQNs but there could be other, unknown explanations. We propose an experiment and calculations to definitively test the MQN hypothesis for dark matter.",

keywords = "cosmology, dark matter, quark nugget, magnetized quark nugget, MQN, MACRO, strange matter, strange quark matter",

author = "J.P. VanDevender and T. Sloan and M. Glissman",

year = "2024",

month = jan,

day = "9",

doi = "10.3390/universe10010027",

language = "English",

volume = "10",

journal = "Universe",

number = "1",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - A Search for Magnetized Quark Nuggets (MQNs), a Candidate for Dark Matter, Accumulating in Iron Ore

AU - VanDevender, J.P.

AU - Sloan, T.

AU - Glissman, M.

PY - 2024/1/9

Y1 - 2024/1/9

N2 - AbstractA search has been carried out for Magnetized Quark Nuggets (MQNs) accumulating in iron ore over geologic time. MQNs, which are theoretically consistent with the Standard Models of Physics and of Cosmology, have been suggested as dark-matter candidates. Indirect evidence of MQNs has been previously inferred from observations of magnetars and of non-meteorite impact craters. It is shown in this paper that MQNs can accumulate in taconite (iron ore) and be transferred into ferromagnetic rod-mill liners during processing of the ore. When the liners are recycled to make fresh steel, they are heated to higher than the Curie temperature so that their ferromagnetic properties are destroyed. The MQNs would then be released and fall into the ferromagnetic furnace bottom where they would be trapped. Three such furnace bottoms have been magnetically scanned to search for the magnetic anomalies consistent with trapped MQNs. The observed magnetic anomalies are equivalent to an accumulation rate of ~1 kg of MQNs per 1.2 × 108 kg of taconite ore processed. The results are consistent with MQNs but there could be other, unknown explanations. We propose an experiment and calculations to definitively test the MQN hypothesis for dark matter.

AB - AbstractA search has been carried out for Magnetized Quark Nuggets (MQNs) accumulating in iron ore over geologic time. MQNs, which are theoretically consistent with the Standard Models of Physics and of Cosmology, have been suggested as dark-matter candidates. Indirect evidence of MQNs has been previously inferred from observations of magnetars and of non-meteorite impact craters. It is shown in this paper that MQNs can accumulate in taconite (iron ore) and be transferred into ferromagnetic rod-mill liners during processing of the ore. When the liners are recycled to make fresh steel, they are heated to higher than the Curie temperature so that their ferromagnetic properties are destroyed. The MQNs would then be released and fall into the ferromagnetic furnace bottom where they would be trapped. Three such furnace bottoms have been magnetically scanned to search for the magnetic anomalies consistent with trapped MQNs. The observed magnetic anomalies are equivalent to an accumulation rate of ~1 kg of MQNs per 1.2 × 108 kg of taconite ore processed. The results are consistent with MQNs but there could be other, unknown explanations. We propose an experiment and calculations to definitively test the MQN hypothesis for dark matter.

KW - cosmology

KW - dark matter

KW - quark nugget

KW - magnetized quark nugget

KW - MQN

KW - MACRO

KW - strange matter

KW - strange quark matter

U2 - 10.3390/universe10010027

DO - 10.3390/universe10010027

M3 - Journal article

VL - 10

JO - Universe

JF - Universe

IS - 1

M1 - 27

ER -

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