Observation of isolated monopoles in a quantum field

Abstract

Making a monopole in an atomic gas Some “grand unified theories” of physics predict the existence of the so-called magnetic monopole. No such particles have been seen, but analogs of monopoles may be observable in quantum fluids. Ray et al. created such an analog in a gas of ultracold 87 Rb atoms with three spin states at their disposal. The authors used a protocol involving external magnetic fields with particular spatial distributions to create and observe a monopole-like spin texture in the gas. Science, this issue p. 544