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Nuclear Theory·nucl-th

Wednesday·April 9, 2025

9 papers—6 primary·3 cross-listed

All9Primary6Cross-lists3
  1. 07

    [Submitted on 5 Apr 2025] (cross-list from hep-ph)

    Physics with high-luminosity proton-nucleus collisions at the LHC

    D. d'Enterria🇨🇭 · C. A. Flett🇫🇷 · I. Grabowska-Bold🇵🇱 · C. Hadjidakis🇫🇷 · P. Kotko🇵🇱 · A. Kusina🇵🇱 · J.P. Lansberg🇫🇷 · R. McNulty🇮🇪 · M. Rinaldi🇮🇹 · L. Bonechi🇮🇹 · R. Bruce🇨🇭 · C. Da Silva🇺🇸 and 20 other authors

    The physics case for the operation of high-luminosity proton-nucleus () collisions during Run 3 and 4 at the LHC is reviewed. The collection of (1-10 pb) of proton-lead (Pb) collisions at the LHC will provide unique physics opportunities in a broad range of topics including proton and nuclear parton distribution functions (PDFs and nPDFs), generalised parton distributions (GPDs), transverse momentum dependent PDFs (TMDs), low- QCD and parton saturation, hadron spectroscopy, baseline studies for quark-gluon plasma and parton collectivity, double and triple parton scatterings (DPS/TPS), photon-photon collisions, and physics beyond the Standard Model (BSM); which are not otherwise as clearly accessible by exploiting data from any other colliding system at the LHC. This report summarises the accelerator aspects of high-luminosity operation at the LHC, as well as each of the physics topics outlined above, including the relevant experimental measurements that motivate -- much -- larger datasets.

    Comments:
    26 pages inc. refs, 1 figure, 3 tables. Slightly expanded version of a contribution submitted for the 2025 European Strategy for Particle Physics
    Subjects:
    High Energy Physics — Phenomenology (hep-ph); High Energy Physics — Experiment (hep-ex); Nuclear Experiment (nucl-ex); Nuclear Theory (nucl-th)
    arXiv:
    2504.04268 [pdf]
    J.Phys.G(2025)·6 citations
  2. 08

    [Submitted on 8 Apr 2025] (cross-list from hep-ph)

    Reflections on Chiral Symmetry within QCD

    Anthony W Thomas🇦🇺

    That chiral symmetry is a crucial feature of the strong force was realized before the discovery of Quantum Chromodynamics. However, the full power it exerts on the structure of the nucleon became apparent only afterwards. We present a high-level and somewhat personal overview of its role in almost every aspect of proton structure, from its mass and spin to the asymmetry of its antimatter content and its strange quark content. The lessons learned from studying the proton are also vital with respect to the modern challenge of the nature of baryon excited states.

    Comments:
    Minor typo corrected
    Subjects:
    High Energy Physics — Phenomenology (hep-ph); Nuclear Theory (nucl-th)
    arXiv:
    2504.05745 [pdf]
    Symmetry(2025)·5 citations
  3. 09

    [Submitted on 8 Apr 2025] (cross-list from gr-qc)

    Interface modes in inspiralling neutron stars: A gravitational-wave probe of first-order phase transitions

    A. R. Counsell🇬🇧 · F. Gittins🇳🇱 · N. Andersson🇬🇧 · I. Tews🇺🇸

    At the extreme densities in neutron stars, a phase transition to deconfined quark matter is anticipated. Yet masses, radii and tidal deformabilities offer only indirect measures of a first-order phase transition, requiring many detections to resolve or being ineffective observables if the discontinuity exists at lower densities. We report on a smoking-gun gravitational-wave signature of a first-order transition: the resonant tidal excitation of an interface mode. Using relativistic perturbation theory with an equation-of-state family informed by chiral effective field theory, we show that such a resonance may be detectable with next-generation interferometers and possibly already with LIGO A+ for sufficiently loud events.

    Comments:
    7 pages, 2 figures; 7 pages, 3 figures in Supplemental Material. Matches published version
    Subjects:
    General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology (gr-qc); High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE); Nuclear Theory (nucl-th)
    arXiv:
    2504.06181 [pdf]
    PRL(2025)·30 citations

Affiliations

first authorsco-authorsvia INSPIRE