Observation of Dirac monopoles in a synthetic magnetic field
1–10 of 17 posts
Re: Observation of Dirac monopoles in a synthetic magnetic field
#2Can anyone with a background in physics and/or interpreting Nature publications comment on this? It appears to be a peer-reviewed publication, rather than something merely published.
My understanding of Dirac's monopole hypothesis implies that these results would be very significant for particle theory . . .
Re: Observation of Dirac monopoles in a synthetic magnetic field
#3The BBC coverage quotes a Lindsay LeBlanc, of the University of Alberta, "a physicist not involved in the study":
"Although these results offer only an analogy to a magnetic monopole, their compatibility with theory reinforces the expectation that this particle will be detected experimentally."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-25946734
The overall phrasing seems to say that it's still just an analogue of a monopole, but that it's a far more useful analogue in a system that you could do meaningful experiments upon.
Re: Observation of Dirac monopoles in a synthetic magnetic field
#4Can anyone with a background in physics and/or interpreting Nature publications comment on this? It appears to be a peer-reviewed publication, rather than something merely published. My understanding of Dirac's monopole hypothesis implies that these results would be very significant for particle theory . . .
One point to mention -- the results appear to apply to a quasiparticle rather than a naked monopole.
Re: Observation of Dirac monopoles in a synthetic magnetic field
#5Can anyone with a background in physics and/or interpreting Nature publications comment on this? It appears to be a peer-reviewed publication, rather than something merely published. My understanding of Dirac's monopole hypothesis implies that these results would be very significant for particle theory . . .
This isn't a newly discovered fundamental particle. This is a new form of behavior observed in ensembles of particles, in this case superfluid helium. This is an exciting new result in condensed matter physics, not particle physics. It's kind of surprising how much the mechanisms of particle physics (gauge fields and all that) carry over to describing the collective behavior of particles that's studied in condensed matter physics.
As to the sibling's comment from Lindsay LeBlanc, I don't believe that at all. While true magnetic monopoles are allowed by our theories, we just haven't seen any real evidence that they exist, and that's a bit strange. Personally, I don't believe they'll ever be observed.
(I used to be a particle physicist, for what that's worth. Take my opinions at face value!)
Re: Observation of Dirac monopoles in a synthetic magnetic field
#6Can anyone with a background in physics and/or interpreting Nature publications comment on this? It appears to be a peer-reviewed publication, rather than something merely published. My understanding of Dirac's monopole hypothesis implies that these results would be very significant for particle theory . . .
This isn't a newly discovered fundamental particle. This is a new form of behavior observed in ensembles of particles, in this case superfluid helium. This is an exciting new result in condensed matter physics, not particle physics. It's kind of surprising how much the mechanisms of particle physics (gauge fields and all that) carry over to describing the collective behavior of particles that's studied in condensed m…
Thank you (and also to fennecfoxen)! My background in physics isn't sufficient to be sure of my interpretation of the details here.
I usually ignore implications of immediate world-changing revolution in popular science reporting (they're invariably nonsense in those fields where I'm qualified to come to a definite conclusion), but Nature (and certain other publications) are more circumspect, at least often enough to check first.
Of course, I'm still happy that the results are interesting!
Re: Observation of Dirac monopoles in a synthetic magnetic field
#7Can anyone with a background in physics and/or interpreting Nature publications comment on this? It appears to be a peer-reviewed publication, rather than something merely published. My understanding of Dirac's monopole hypothesis implies that these results would be very significant for particle theory . . .
This isn't a newly discovered fundamental particle. This is a new form of behavior observed in ensembles of particles, in this case superfluid helium. This is an exciting new result in condensed matter physics, not particle physics. It's kind of surprising how much the mechanisms of particle physics (gauge fields and all that) carry over to describing the collective behavior of particles that's studied in condensed m…
I just came here to say pretty much exactly what you've already said (both paragraphs, in fact). So I'll just chime in (as a physics professor and string theorist) to endorse your take on the article.
This is a cool result, and it's neat to see a realization of the Dirac monopole in a thoroughly quantum field. But it's not a detection of a Dirac monopole for the usual electromagnetic field (which would be an amazingly big deal, and which I think most people don't ever expect to see).
Re: Observation of Dirac monopoles in a synthetic magnetic field
#8The BBC coverage quotes a Lindsay LeBlanc, of the University of Alberta, "a physicist not involved in the study": "Although these results offer only an analogy to a magnetic monopole, their compatibility with theory reinforces the expectation that this particle will be detected experimentally." http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-25946734 The overall phrasing seems to say that it's still just an analogue of…
Physicists tend to be metaphysical sceptics on the whole, meaning that they arent really convinced that the implied objects (/particles/fields/etc.) of physical theories actually exist^. Merely that "something exists which makes the mathematics work". Seeing so many different kinds of math work for the same physical system tends to engender a kind of scepticism towards the "metaphysical power" of mathematics to imply anything ontologically particular about the world.
Now, when it comes to results like this, they are interesting because it doesnt really matter if there are magnetic monopoles if you "just wanted to use a magnetic monopole" - you could create some in supfl. He.
The point is that whatever system enables the math to work is irrelevant to what ever uses theories will have for this math.
Of course it is still practically relevant, because a simple monopole experiment might be extremely expensive/difficult in Supfl. He.
NB^: Pop physicists who wax philosophical on TV shows tend to be sceptics but appear "hardcore realists" for TV.
Re: Observation of Dirac monopoles in a synthetic magnetic field
#9Earlier quoted context omitted.
This isn't a newly discovered fundamental particle. This is a new form of behavior observed in ensembles of particles, in this case superfluid helium. This is an exciting new result in condensed matter physics, not particle physics. It's kind of surprising how much the mechanisms of particle physics (gauge fields and all that) carry over to describing the collective behavior of particles that's studied in condensed m…
I just came here to say pretty much exactly what you've already said (both paragraphs, in fact). So I'll just chime in (as a physics professor and string theorist) to endorse your take on the article. This is a cool result, and it's neat to see a realization of the Dirac monopole in a thoroughly quantum field. But it's not a detection of a Dirac monopole for the usual electromagnetic field (which would be an amazingl…
The existence of a magnetic monopole would make maxwell's equations so much prettier. Plus validate dirac's proof of why electric charge is quantized. Sigh...
Re: Observation of Dirac monopoles in a synthetic magnetic field
#10The BBC coverage quotes a Lindsay LeBlanc, of the University of Alberta, "a physicist not involved in the study": "Although these results offer only an analogy to a magnetic monopole, their compatibility with theory reinforces the expectation that this particle will be detected experimentally." http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-25946734 The overall phrasing seems to say that it's still just an analogue of…
Physicists tend to be metaphysical sceptics on the whole, meaning that they arent really convinced that the implied objects (/particles/fields/etc.) of physical theories actually exist^. Merely that "something exists which makes the mathematics work". Seeing so many different kinds of math work for the same physical system tends to engender a kind of scepticism towards the "metaphysical power" of mathematics to imply…
> The point is that whatever system enables the math to work is irrelevant to what ever uses theories will have for this math.
Additional explanation from someone who (also?) used to do research, with papers and all: we actually used objects we knew did not exist to do actual science. By "do not exist" I mean "they are make-believe theoretical objects that do not exist per se, but they are good models for things that do exist".
Science and engineering is full of these things. Holes in transistors: they don't exist, they're actually a certain type of electron shifting their positions in a particular way, but the math would get a lot hairier (at no gain!) if you treated them as electrons. Electrical charges in classic electromagnetism aren't electrons at all -- they're small dots with charge on them, but the math would get a lot hairier (at no gain -- again!) if you didn't treat them like this.
Being able to model a phenomenon is very important, and being able to model it simply is, for lack of a better word, God-given. Phenomenological models (i.e. models that model only the behaviour, not the inner working of a certain phenomenon) are as good as any other model, as long as you bear in mind that they are phenomenological: you can use them to reason about certain effects, but not necessarily about what causes them.
Before anyone jumps in to point out this is bullshit and that there's really more to life, I just want to remind everyone that we've been building buildings and bridges and shit based on a phenomenological model. Classical mechanics knows absolutely shit about how gravity works -- it just tells you useful stuff about what it does -- and I'll personally grab all the beer in the world for someone who finds an actual material point.