arXiv:2508.21821·v1·High Energy Physics — Lattice
Lattice evidence that scalar glueballs are small
Ryan Abbott🇺🇸 · Daniel C. Hackett🇺🇸 · Dimitra A. Pefkou🇺🇸 · Fernando Romero-López🇨🇭 · Phiala E. Shanahan🇺🇸
Abstract
This work reports the first calculation of the gravitational form factors (GFFs) of the scalar glueball, performed via lattice field theory in Yang-Mills theory at a single lattice spacing. The glueball GFFs are compared with those of other hadrons as determined in previous lattice calculations, providing strong indications that glueballs have a different gluonic structure than typical hadronic states. A mass radius of 0.263(31) fm is predicted, supporting previous suggestions that the scalar glueball is significantly smaller than other hadrons. These results point towards a potential smoking-gun characteristic to target by experimental glueball searches.
Comments: 6 pages,3 figures + supplementary material