Nuclear Theory·nucl-th

Monday·November 3, 2025

13 papers—3 primary·10 cross-listed

04
[Submitted on 30 Oct 2025] (cross-list from hep-lat)
Finite density QCD phase structure from strangeness fluctuations
Szabolcs Borsányi🇩🇪 · Zoltán Fodor🇩🇪 · Jana N. Guenther🇩🇪 · Piyush Kumar🇩🇪 · Paolo Parotto🇮🇹 · Attila Pásztor🇭🇺 · Chik Him Wong🇩🇪
Charting the phase diagram of Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) at large density is a challenging task due to the complex action problem in lattice simulations. Through simulations at imaginary baryon chemical potential $μ_{B}$ we observe that, if the strangeness neutrality condition is imposed, both the strangeness chemical potential $μ_{S} / μ_{B}$ and the strangeness susceptibility $χ_{2}^{S}$ take on constant values at the chiral transition for varying $μ_{B}$ . We present new lattice data to extrapolate contours of constant $μ_{S} / μ_{B}$ or $χ_{2}^{S}$ to finite baryon chemical potential. We argue that they are good proxies for the QCD crossover because, as we show, they are only mildly influenced by criticality and by finite volume effects. We obtain continuum limits for these proxies up to $μ_{B} = 400$ MeV, through a next-to-next-to-leading order (N $^{2}$ LO) Taylor expansion based on large-statistics data on $1 6^{3} \times 8$ , $2 0^{3} \times 10$ and $2 4^{3} \times 12$ lattices with our 4HEX improved staggered action. We show that these are in excellent agreement with existing results for the chiral transition and, strikingly, also with analogous contours obtained with the hadron resonance gas (HRG) model. On the $1 6^{3} \times 8$ lattice, we carry out the expansion up to next-to-next-to-next-to-next-to-leading order (N $^{4}$ LO), and extend the extrapolation beyond $μ_{B} = 500$ MeV, again finding perfect agreement with the HRG model. This suggests that the crossover line constructed from this proxy starts deviating from the chemical freeze-out line near $μ_{B} \approx 500$ MeV, as expected but not yet observed.
Comments:
12 pages, 11 figures
Subjects:
High Energy Physics — Lattice (hep-lat); Nuclear Theory (nucl-th)
arXiv:
2510.26455 [pdf]
PRD(2026)·6 citations
05
[Submitted on 30 Oct 2025] (cross-list from hep-ph)
Automated event generation for S-wave quarkonium and leptonium production in NRQCD and NRQED
Alice Colpani Serri🇵🇱 · Chris A. Flett🇫🇷 · Jean-Philippe Lansberg🇫🇷 · Olivier Mattelaer🇧🇪 · Hua-Sheng Shao🇫🇷 · Lukas Simon🇫🇷
We present an extension of the MadGraph5_aMC@NLO framework that enables the automated calculation of leading-order cross sections for S-wave quarkonium and leptonium production within the non-relativistic QCD (NRQCD) and non-relativistic QED (NRQED) factorisation formalisms. The framework has been validated against a variety of benchmark processes, demonstrating robustness and flexibility for phenomenological studies. A key advantage of this implementation is its seamless integration with existing MadGraph5_aMC@NLO features, allowing computations not only within the Standard Model but also in a wide range of Beyond the Standard Model or Effective Field Theory scenarios via a modified Universal Feynman Output (UFO) interface. Furthermore, the framework maintains compatibility with standard Monte Carlo event generators for parton showering and hadronisation. Through numerous examples, we highlight that theoretical studies of quarkonium processes require careful consideration: the impact of subleading contributions is often difficult to predict using simple counting arguments based solely on the hierarchy of couplings and velocity-scaling rules.
Comments:
68 pages, 7 figures, 15 tables; v2: journal version
Subjects:
High Energy Physics — Phenomenology (hep-ph); High Energy Physics — Experiment (hep-ex); Nuclear Experiment (nucl-ex); Nuclear Theory (nucl-th)
arXiv:
2510.26773 [pdf]
JHEP(2026)·4 citations
06
[Submitted on 30 Oct 2025] (cross-list from hep-ph)
Improved calculation of radiative corrections to $τ \to π π ν_{τ}$ decays
Gilberto Colangelo🇨🇭 · Martina Cottini🇨🇭 · Martin Hoferichter🇨🇭 · Simon Holz🇨🇭
A reliable calculation of radiative corrections to $τ \to π π ν_{τ}$ decays is an important prerequisite for using hadronic $τ$ decays for a data-driven evaluation of the hadronic-vacuum-polarization contribution to the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon, $a_{μ}^{HVP, LO} [π π, τ]$ . In this Letter, we present an improved model-independent analysis of these radiative corrections, including, for the first time, effects beyond point-like pions in the evaluation of the loop diagrams. These structure-dependent corrections, implemented via a dispersive representation of the pion form factor, lead to significant changes compared to previous calculations due to enhancements near the $ρ (770)$ resonance. We also devise strategies for the matching to chiral perturbation theory and a stable implementation of the real corrections down to the two-pion threshold, which shows that some higher-order isospin-breaking corrections need to be kept due to a strong threshold enhancement. Finally, we perform dispersive fits to the currently available $τ \to π π ν_{τ}$ spectra and discuss the consequences for isospin-breaking corrections in the evaluation of $a_{μ}^{HVP, LO} [π π, τ]$ .
Comments:
9 pages, 5 figures; journal version
Subjects:
High Energy Physics — Phenomenology (hep-ph); High Energy Physics — Experiment (hep-ex); High Energy Physics — Lattice (hep-lat); Nuclear Theory (nucl-th)
arXiv:
2510.26871 [pdf]
PRL(2026)·16 citations
07
[Submitted on 30 Oct 2025] (cross-list from cond-mat.quant-gas)
Trapping-potential dependence of the unitary Fermi gas at the BCS-BEC crossover
Silas R. Beane · Adèle Le Borgne · Domenico Orlando · Susanne Reffert
Cold-atom experiments which measure Fermi-gas properties near unitarity confine fermionic atoms to a region of space using trapping potentials of various shapes. The presence of a trapping potential introduces a new characteristic physical scale in the superfluid EFT which, inter alia, describes the acoustic branch of excitations in the far infrared well below the scale of the superfluid gap. In this EFT there is a clear hierarchy of scales, and corrections to the homogeneous system due to the trapping potential may be organized into three regions with distinct power counting that relies on both the EFT derivative expansion, and the WKB approximation, which is an expansion in gradients of the trapping potential. The energy spectrum of the superfluid system is obtained in each of the regions by explicit computation of the phonon-field fluctuations, and by the modifications to the dynamic structure factor due to the corresponding density fluctuations. The most significant deviations from linear dispersion due to the trapping potential are found in the far infrared region of the superfluid EFT.
Comments:
40 pages
Subjects:
Quantum Gases (cond-mat.quant-gas); High Energy Physics — Theory (hep-th); Nuclear Theory (nucl-th)
arXiv:
2510.26876 [pdf]
PRA(2026)·1 citation
08
[Submitted on 30 Oct 2025] (cross-list from hep-ex)
Baryon-antibaryon photoproduction cross sections off the proton
GlueX Collaboration: F. Afzal🇩🇪 · M. Albrecht🇺🇸 · M. Amaryan🇺🇸 · S. Arrigo🇺🇸 · V. Arroyave🇺🇸 · A. Asaturyan🇺🇸 · A. Austregesilo🇺🇸 · Z. Baldwin🇺🇸 · F. Barbosa🇺🇸 · J. Barlow🇺🇸 · E. Barriga🇺🇸 · R. Barsotti🇺🇸 and 127 other authors
The GlueX experiment at Jefferson Lab has observed $p p ˉ$ and, for the first time, $Λ Λ ˉ$ and $p Λ ˉ$ photoproduction from a proton target at photon energies up to 11.6 GeV. The angular distributions are forward peaked for all produced pairs, consistent with Regge-like $t$ -channel exchange. Asymmetric wide-angle anti-baryon distributions show the presence of additional processes. In a phenomenological model, we find consistency with a double $t$ -channel exchange process where anti-baryons are created only at the middle vertex. The model matches all observed distributions with a small number of free parameters. In the hyperon channels, we observe a clear distinction between photoproduction of the $Λ Λ ˉ$ and $p Λ ˉ$ systems but general similarity to the $p p ˉ$ system. We report both total cross sections and cross sections differential with respect to momentum transfer and the invariant masses of the created particle pairs. No narrow resonant structures were found in these reaction channels. The suppression of $s s ˉ$ quark pairs relative to $d d ˉ$ quark pairs is similar to what has been seen in other reactions.
Comments:
34 pages, 29 figures, 7 tables, 1 algorithm
Subjects:
High Energy Physics — Experiment (hep-ex); Nuclear Experiment (nucl-ex); Nuclear Theory (nucl-th)
arXiv:
2510.26890 [pdf]
PRC(2026)·0 citations
09
[Submitted on 31 Oct 2025] (cross-list from nucl-ex)
First evidence for the J $>$ 1 components of the pygmy dipole resonance in neutron-rich nuclei
R. Li🇫🇷 · E. Litvinova🇺🇸 · M. N. Harakeh🇳🇱 · D. Verney🇫🇷 · I. Matea🇫🇷 · L. Al Ayoubi🇫🇷 · H. Al Falou🇱🇧 · P. Bednarczyk🇵🇱 · G. Benzoni🇮🇹 · V. Bozkurt🇹🇷 · A. Bracco🇮🇹 · M. Ciemała🇵🇱 and 12 other authors
Gamma ( $γ$ ) decay shapes the synthesis of heavy elements in neutron-rich nuclear environments of neutron star mergers, supplying the Universe with heavy elements. The low-energy pygmy dipole resonance (PDR) influences nuclear reaction rates of the rapid nucleosynthesis through enhanced $γ$ transitions. However, since it is difficult to reproduce astrophysical conditions in laboratories, PDR was previously observed only in $J = 1$ spin states. Here we report the first experimental observation of $J > 1$ components of PDR, identified in the $β$ -delayed $γ$ decay of the J $^{π}$ = 3 $^{-}$ spin-parity isomer of $^{80}$ Ga. The data analysis, combined with decay information and theoretical calculations allows the identification of resonant structures below the neutron emission threshold of the neutron-rich germanium $^{80}$ Ge as J $^{π} = (2, 3)^{-}$ components of the PDR built on the low-lying J $^{π}$ = 2 $^{+}$ quadrupole state. Our findings extend the concept of PDR beyond dipole states, with implications for nuclear structure theory and experiment, as well as the element production in the cosmos.
Subjects:
Nuclear Experiment (nucl-ex); Solar and Stellar Astrophysics (astro-ph.SR); Nuclear Theory (nucl-th)
arXiv:
2510.27125 [pdf]
0 citations
10
[Submitted on 31 Oct 2025] (cross-list from hep-ph)
Improved phenomenology of $π N$ transition distribution amplitudes
Bernard Pire🇫🇷 · Kirill Semenov-Tian-Shansky🇰🇷 · Paweł Sznajder🇵🇱 · Lech Szymanowski🇵🇱
To study cross sections and polarization asymmetries for the processes $e p \to e n π^{+}$ and $e p \to e p π^{0}$ in the backward region, we develop a flexible phenomenological model for nucleon-to-pion transition distribution amplitudes ( $π N$ TDAs), which are used in the QCD collinear factorization description of the scattering amplitudes. Our model is based on the two-component factorized Ansatz for the corresponding spectral densities, quadruple distribution. It takes into account the constraints for $π N$ TDAs arising from the threshold pion production theorem and also includes a forward limit contribution that can be fitted to experimental data. We examine the sensitivity of observable predictions to various modelling assumptions.
Comments:
Contribution to INPC 2025, 5 pages, 4 figures
Subjects:
High Energy Physics — Phenomenology (hep-ph); High Energy Physics — Experiment (hep-ex); Nuclear Experiment (nucl-ex); Nuclear Theory (nucl-th)
arXiv:
2510.27425 [pdf]
EPJ Web Conf.(2026)·1 citation
11
[Submitted on 31 Oct 2025] (cross-list from physics.atom-ph)
Model-independent determination of nuclear charge radii from Li-like ions
V. A. Yerokhin · B. Ohayon
We demonstrate that recent advances in QED theory of Li-like ions [V. A. Yerokhin et al., Phys. Rev. A 112, 042801 (2025)] enable determinations of absolute nuclear charge radii for heavy elements. By incorporating constraints derived from electron-scattering data, we obtain radii that are independent of the assumed model of the nuclear charge distribution. Our approach is validated for $^{208}$ Pb, a well-studied spherical nucleus, and is then applied to $^{209}$ Bi, where low-lying nuclear excitations complicate the interpretation of muonic-atom data.
Subjects:
Atomic Physics (physics.atom-ph); High Energy Physics — Experiment (hep-ex); Nuclear Theory (nucl-th)
arXiv:
2510.27427 [pdf]
PRA(2026)·7 citations
12
[Submitted on 31 Oct 2025] (cross-list from astro-ph.HE)
Equation-of-state-informed pulse profile modeling
Mariska Hoogkamer · Nathan Rutherford · Daniela Huppenkothen · Benjamin Ricketts · Anna L. Watts · Melissa Mendes · Isak Svensson · Achim Schwenk · Michael Kramer · Kai Hebeler · Tuomo Salmi · Devarshi Choudhury
NICER has enabled mass-radius inferences for pulsars using pulse profile modeling (PPM), providing constraints on the equation of state (EOS) of cold, dense matter. To date, PPM and EOS inference have been carried out as two separate steps, with the former using EOS-agnostic priors. This approach has several drawbacks. Ideally, one would perform a fully hierarchical Bayesian inference where the pulse profile and EOS model parameters are jointly fit, but implementing such a framework is complex and computationally demanding. Here, we present an intermediate solution introducing an EOS-informed prior on mass-radius into the existing PPM pipeline using normalizing flows. By focusing on the parameter space consistent with certain EOSs, this approach both tightens constraints on neutron star parameters while reducing computational costs and requiring minimal additional implementation effort. We test this approach on two pulsars, PSR J0740+6620 and PSR J0437-4715, and with two EOS model families: a model based on the speed of sound inside the neutron star interior (CS) and a piecewise-polytropic (PP) model. Both EOS models implement constraints from chiral effective field theory calculations of dense matter. For both pulsar datasets, the inferred radius credible intervals are narrower than in the EOS-agnostic case, with CS favoring smaller radii and PP favoring larger radii. For PSR J0437-4715, the EOS-informed priors reveal a new, more extreme geometric mode that is statistically favored but physically questionable. Including the PPM posteriors in the subsequent EOS inference further tightens the mass-radius posteriors through the chiral effective field theory constraints. However, there is also a sensitivity to the high-density extensions, where the PP (CS) model produces a shift towards larger (smaller) radii and corresponding stiffening (softening) of the pressure-energy density relation.
Comments:
Published in PRD
Subjects:
High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE); Solar and Stellar Astrophysics (astro-ph.SR); Nuclear Theory (nucl-th)
arXiv:
2510.27619 [pdf]
PRD(2026)·7 citations
13
[Submitted on 31 Oct 2025] (cross-list from hep-ph)
Beyond Leading Logarithms in $g_{V}$ : The Semileptonic Weak Hamiltonian at $O (α α_{s}^{2})$
Francesco Moretti🇩🇪 · Martin Gorbahn🇬🇧 · Sebastian Jaeger🇬🇧
We present the first next-to-leading-logarithmic QCD analysis of the electromagnetic corrections to the semileptonic weak Hamiltonian, including the mixed $O (α α_{s}^{2})$ corrections to the vector coupling $g_{V}$ . The analysis combines the evaluation of three-loop anomalous dimensions and two-loop matching corrections with a consistent factorization of short-distance QCD effects. The latter is implemented through a scheme change based on a $d$ -dimensional operator product expansion performed inside the loop integrals. The resulting renormalization-group--improved expression for the radiative correction $Δ_{R}^{V} = 2.436 (16) %$ can be systematically refined using input from lattice QCD and perturbation theory and improves the consistency of first-row CKM unitarity tests.
Comments:
Minor typos corrected and update in the numerical analysis, where the running of alpha electromagnetic between the charm and tau mass is now included. Overall impact is negligible compared to residual higher-order uncertainties. Conclusions unchanged
Subjects:
High Energy Physics — Phenomenology (hep-ph); High Energy Physics — Lattice (hep-lat); Nuclear Theory (nucl-th)
arXiv:
2510.27648 [pdf]
14 citations

Affiliations

first authorsco-authorsvia INSPIRE