Interactions of Magnetic Monopoles with Nuclei and Atoms: Formation of Bound States and Phenomenological Consequences

We discuss the binding of magnetic monopoles to nuclear and atomic systems. The energy spectrum is calculated, by assuming an interaction with a hard core. The formation process of monopole-nucleus bound states is analysed and it is shown that monopoles reaching Earth are most likely bound to a proton. We also discuss phenomenological implications of the existence of bound states in connection with the monopole catalysis of proton decay.