SciPost Submission Page
Magnetic Monopole Molecules
by Kazuyuki Furuuchi, Moreshwar Pathak
Submission summary
| Authors (as registered SciPost users): | Kazuyuki Furuuchi |
| Submission information | |
|---|---|
| Preprint Link: | https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.17779v2 (pdf) |
| Date submitted: | Sept. 29, 2025, 4:49 a.m. |
| Submitted by: | Kazuyuki Furuuchi |
| Submitted to: | SciPost Physics |
| Ontological classification | |
|---|---|
| Academic field: | Physics |
| Specialties: |
|
| Approach: | Theoretical |
Abstract
We construct a variety of bound states of Dirac magnetic monopoles in product $U(1)$ gauge theories that make up a Dirac magnetic monopole with unit magnetic charge under the unbroken $U(1)$ gauge group. The size of the bound states is determined by the balance between the repulsive magnetic Coulomb force of the unbroken $U(1)$ gauge group and the attractive force from the tension of the magnetic flux tubes of the broken $U(1)$ gauge groups. These bound states are extensions of the configuration first studied in arXiv:1608.06951. We dub this type of configurations ``Magnetic Monopole Molecules'' (MMMs). Besides some illustrative examples of MMMs made of a small number of constituent Dirac magnetic monopoles, a method to combine smaller MMMs to construct larger MMMs is presented. Implications for the weak gravity conjecture are also discussed.
Author indications on fulfilling journal expectations
- Provide a novel and synergetic link between different research areas.
- Open a new pathway in an existing or a new research direction, with clear potential for multi-pronged follow-up work
- Detail a groundbreaking theoretical/experimental/computational discovery
- Present a breakthrough on a previously-identified and long-standing research stumbling block
Current status:
Reports on this Submission
Strengths
1- Suggests the systematic analysis of bound states of monopoles in Higgsed theories. 2- Describes an approach for producing more complicated bound state solutions from simpler ones.
Weaknesses
1- No discussion of kinetic mixing. 2- Only considers equal gauge couplings. 3- Only fully analyzes the case of 2 monopoles. 4- Full analysis of stability is not carried out. 5- Discussion of implications for the (magnetic) WGC is essentially identical to that of 1608.06951.
Report
Requested changes
1- Explain how to construct composite monopoles in theories with kinetic mixing. 2- Explicitly work out more examples: when there are more than 2 component monopoles the flux tube structure and effective size should be discussed. 3- Explicitly demonstrate the stability of these composite monopoles: the force balance argument is well known, but how this organizes into a (meta)stable state is warranted. 4- Expand analysis of these composite monopoles role in the magnetic WGC/swampland to present novel results.
Recommendation
Ask for major revision