  We propose an alternative route to stabilize magnetic skyrmions which does
not require Dzyaloshinkii-Moriya interactions, magnetic anisotropy, or an
external Zeeman field. Our so-called magnetic skyrmion catalysis (MSC) solely
relies on the emergence of flux in the system's ground state. We review
scenarios that allow for a nonzero flux and summarize the magnetic skyrmion
phases that it induces. Among these, we focus on the so-called skyrmionic
spin-whirl crystal (Sk-SWC$_4$) phase. We discuss aspects of MSC using a
concrete model for topological superconductivity, which describes the surface
states of a topological crystalline insulator in the presence of proximity
induced pairing. By assuming that the surface states can exhibit the Sk-SWC$_4$
phase, we detail how the addition of a pairing gap generates a chiral
superconductor. For this purpose, we construct a low-energy model which renders
the mechanism for topological superconductivity transparent. Moreover, by
employing this model, we perform a self-consistent investigation of the
appearance of the Sk-SWC$_4$ phase for different values of the pairing gap and
the ground state's flux. Our analysis verifies the catalytic nature of our
mechanism in stabilizing the Sk-SWC$_4$ phase, since the magnetization modulus
becomes enhanced upon ramping up the flux. The involvement of MSC further
shields magnetism against the suppression induced by the pairing gap.
Remarkably, even if the pairing gap fully suppresses the Sk-SWC$_4$ phase for a
given value of flux, this skyrmion phase can be restored by further increasing
the flux. Our findings demonstrate that MSC enables topological
superconductivity in a minimal and robust fashion.
