Last Update: October 2000

SLIM

The Collaboration:

H. Dekhissi8, G. Giacomelli1, M. Giorgini1, J. McDonald3, G. Mandrioli1, S. Manzoor1,4, A. Margiotta1, J. Nogales6, L. Patrizii1, J. Pinfold3,V. Popa1,5, I.E .Qureshi4 , M.A. Rana 4, A. Rrhioua8, O. Saavedra 2, P. Serra1, M. I. Shahzad4,M. Spurio1, R. Ticona6,V. Togo1,A. Velarde6, and A. Zanini2.

1. Dipar.to di Fisica dell'Universita’ di Bologna and INFN, 40127 Bologna, Italy

2. Dipar.ti di Fisica Sperimentale e Generale dell'Universita’ di Torino and INFN, 10125 Torino, Italy

3. Centre for Subatomic Research, Univ. of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2N4, Canada

4. RPD, PINSTECH, P.O. Nilore, Islamabad, Pakistan

5. Institute for Space Sciences, 76900 Bucharest, Romania

6. Laboratorio de Fisica Cosmica de Chacaltaya,UMSA, La Paz, Bolivia

7. Istituto TeSRE/CNR, 40129 Bologna, Italy

8. Faculty of Sciences, University Mohamed I, B. P. 525 Oujda, Morocco

Laboratory: High Altitude Laboratory of Chacaltaya (Bolivia)

1. Goal of the experiment

The SLIM ( Search for LIght magnetic Monopoles) experiment, is a new large area array of nuclear track detectors ( 400 m2 ) which searches for Magnetic Monopoles (MM) of intermediate masses (106 — 1010 GeV) and other exotic particles (strangelets and Q-balls) in cosmic rays. It is being deployed at the High Altitude Laboratory of Chacaltaya (Bolivia) at 5230 m a.s.l. In 4 years of operation it will reach a sensitivity to a monopole flux at the level of the Parker bound.

2. Physics achievements during 2000

By the end of July 2000, 200 m2 of detector have been deployed and a was completed. It was checked that the reduced air pressure at the site doesn’t affect the detector response.

3. INFN contribution to the experiment in terms of manpower and financial support

- Manpower: 16 researchers (5.1 FTE), 6 technicians (3.0 FTE)

- Financial support: 151 MLit.

4. Number of publication in refereed journals : 0

5. Number of talks to conferences: 3

6. Number of undergraduate and doctoral thesis of the experiment

- n.1 Laurea diploma
- n.1 Ph. D. thesis

7. Leadership role in the experiment

- Spokesperson of the SLIM Collaboration is Prof. G. Giacomelli from the Dip. Fis. Univ. Bologna and INFN Sezione Bologna. The Bologna group is the leading group in the collaboration

8. Innovative instruments

The experiment uses a nuclear track detector of high sensitivity, developed by the Bologna group in collaboration with the industry.

9. Competive experiment

No other experiment of this kind (large area and high altitude) is in operation or planned.

10. International committee which has reviewed the experiment

None