Rare cosmological events recorded in muscovite mica

Abstract: A study of fossil tracks of charged particles recorded in crystals of muscovite has revealed evidence of rare events of cosmological origin. The events are not compatible with known particle interactions with matter. They were recorded during a period when the crystals were in a metastable state during cooling after growth 13km water equivalent underground. In this state a phase transition can be triggered by low energy events in the range 1eV to 10keV, when the crystals effectively behave as solid-state bubble chambers. At higher energies the chemical etching technique can be used to reveal massive damage to the lattice. The rare events show evidence of interaction with the crystal over a great range of energies. They leave a distinctive record that is easily recognised.