Publications

Order by: publication date number of citations

• New determination of the production cross section for secondary positrons and electrons in the Galaxy

  Luca Orusa, Mattia Di Mauro, Fiorenza Donato, Michael Korsmeier

  SciPost Phys. Proc. 13, 006 (2023) · published 28 September 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The cosmic-ray fluxes of electrons and positrons ($e^{±}$) are measured with high precision by the space-borne particle spectrometer AMS-02. To infer a precise interpretation of the production processes for $e^{±}$ in our Galaxy, it is necessary to have an accurate description of the secondary component, produced by the interaction of cosmic-ray proton and helium with the interstellar medium atoms. We determine new analytical functions of the Lorentz invariant cross section for the production of $e^±$ by fitting data from collider experiments. The total differential cross section $d\sigma/dT_{e^±}(p+p→ e^±+X)$ is predicted with an uncertainty of about 5-7% in the energies relevant for AMS-02 positron flux. For further information about this work refer to [Phys. Rev. D 105, 123021 (2022)].

• LFV searches by ATLAS and CMS experiments

  Luca Fiorini

  SciPost Phys. Proc. 16, 020 (2025) · published 15 July 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The appearance of lepton-flavour-violating processes in LHC proton-proton collisions is one of the possible ways that new physics beyond the Standard Model could manifest itself. This proceeding summarizes the most recent searches for lepton-flavour-violating processes and tests of lepton flavour universality with the ATLAS and CMS detectors, using proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV.

• New 2- and 3-loop heavy flavor corrections to unpolarized and polarized deep-inelastic scattering

  Jakob Ablinger, Johannes Blümlein, Abilio De Freitas, Marco Saragnese, Carsten Schneider, Kay Schoenwald

  SciPost Phys. Proc. 8, 137 (2022) · published 14 July 2022 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  A survey is given on the new 2– and 3–loop results for the heavy flavor contributions to deep–inelastic scattering in the unpolarized and the polarized case. We also discuss related new mathematical aspects applied in these calculations.

• Lepton flavour universality tests and lepton flavour violation searches at LHCb

  Sara Celani

  SciPost Phys. Proc. 16, 021 (2025) · published 15 July 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The Standard Model (SM) of particle physics represents our most fundamental knowledge of elementary particles and their interactions. One of the cardinal properties of the SM which has been thoroughly studied during the past years is the so-called Lepton Flavour Universality (LFU): W and Z bosons are predicted to be equally coupled to the three lepton generations. Hints for deviations from LFU have been found by the LHCb collaboration in $b\to s\ell\ell$ and $b\to c\ell\nu$ decays, sparking great interest and further motivating the searches for lepton flavour violating processes. A general review of these results is presented, including prospects in view of the LHC and LHCb upgrade.

• Dynamically restoring conformal invariance in (integrable) $\sigma$-models

  Rigers Aliaj, Konstantinos Sfetsos, Konstantinos Siampos

  SciPost Phys. 14, 043 (2023) · published 21 March 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Integrable $\lambda$-deformed $\sigma$-models are characterized by an underlying current algebra/coset model CFT deformed, at the infinitesimal level, by current/parafermion bilinears. We promote the deformation parameters to dynamical functions of time introduced as an extra coordinate. It is conceivable that by appropriately constraining them, the beta-functions vanish and consequently the $\sigma$-model stays conformal. Remarkably, we explicitly materialize this scenario in several cases having a single and even multiple deformation parameters. These generically obey a system of non-linear second-order ordinary differential equations. They are solved by the fixed points of the RG flow of the original $\sigma$-model. Moreover, by appropriately choosing initial conditions we may even interpolate between the RG fixed points as the time varies from the far past to the far future. Finally, we present an extension of our analysis to the Yang--Baxter deformed PCMs.

• Emergent Kitaev materials in synthetic Fermi-Hubbard bilayers

  Daniel González-Cuadra, Alejandro Bermudez

  SciPost Phys. 19, 130 (2025) · published 18 November 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We investigate the emergence of bond-directional spin-spin interactions in a synthetic Fermi-Hubbard bilayer that can be realized with ultracold fermions in Raman optical lattices. The model exploits synthetic dimensions to couple two honeycomb layers, each corresponding to a different hyperfine atomic state, via Raman-assisted tunneling and, moreover, via an inter-layer Hubbard repulsion due to the cold-atom scattering. In the strong-coupling regime at half filling, we derive effective spin Hamiltonians for the kinetic exchange featuring Kitaev, Heisenberg, off-diagonal exchange ($\Gamma$-couplings), as well as tunable Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interactions. We identify specific configurations that generate both ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic Kitaev couplings with various perturbations of relevance to Kitaev materials, providing a tunable platform that can explore how quantum spin liquids emerge from itinerant fermion systems. We analyze the Fermi-liquid and Mott-insulating phases, highlighting a correspondence between Dirac and Majorana quasi-particles, with possible phase transitions thereof. In an extreme anisotropic limit, we show that the model reduces to an inter-layer ribbon in a quasi-1D ladder, allowing for a numerical study of the correlated ground state using matrix product states. We find a transition from a symmetry-protected topological insulator to a Kitaev-like regime characterized by nonlocal string order. Our results establish that cold-atom quantum simulators based on Raman optical lattices can be a playground for extended Kitaev models, bridging itinerant fermionic systems and spin-liquid physics.

• Vinberg's T-algebras: From exceptional periodicity to black hole entropy

  Alessio Marrani

  SciPost Phys. Proc. 14, 035 (2023) · published 24 November 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We introduce the so-called Magic Star (MS) projection within the root lattice of finite-dimensional exceptional Lie algebras, and relate it to rank-3 simple and semi-simple Jordan algebras. By relying on the Bott periodicity of reality and conjugacy properties of spinor representations, we present the so-called Exceptional Periodicity (EP) algebras, which are finite-dimensional algebras, violating the Jacobi identity, and providing an alternative with respect to Kac-Moody infinite-dimensional Lie algebras. Remarkably, also EP algebras can be characterized in terms of a MS projection, exploiting special Vinberg T-algebras, a class of generalized Hermitian matrix algebras introduced by Vinberg in the '60s within his theory of homogeneous convex cones. As physical applications, we highlight the role of the invariant norm of special Vinberg T-algebras in Maxwell-Einstein-scalar theories in 5 space-time dimensions, in which the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy of extremal black strings can be expressed in terms of the cubic polynomial norm of the T-algebras.

• Characterizing the hadronization of parton showers using the HOMER method

  Benoît Assi, Christian Bierlich, Philip Ilten, Tony Menzo, Stephen Mrenna, Manuel Szewc, Michael K. Wilkinson, Ahmed Youssef, Jure Zupan

  SciPost Phys. 19, 125 (2025) · published 11 November 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We update the HOMER method, a technique to solve a restricted version of the inverse problem of hadronization – extracting the Lund string fragmentation function $f(z)$ from data using only observable information. Here, we demonstrate its utility by extracting $f(z)$ from synthetic Pythia simulations using high-level observables constructed on an event-by-event basis, such as multiplicities and shape variables. Four cases of increasing complexity are considered, corresponding to $e^+e^-$ collisions at a center-of-mass energy of $90≥v$ producing either a string stretched between a $q$ and $\bar{q}$ containing no gluons; the same string containing one gluon $g$ with fixed kinematics; the same but the gluon has varying kinematics; and the most realistic case, strings with an unrestricted number of gluons that is the end-result of a parton shower. We demonstrate the extraction of $f(z)$ in each case, with the result of only a relatively modest degradation in performance of the HOMER method with the increased complexity of the string system.

• Relativistic kinematics in flat and curved space-times

  Patrick Moylan

  SciPost Phys. Proc. 14, 037 (2023) · published 24 November 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Almost immediately after the seminal papers of Poincaré (1905,1906) and Einstein (1905) on special relativity, wherein Poincaré established the full covariance of the Maxwell-Lorentz equations under the scale-extended Poincaré group and Einstein explained the Lorentz transformation using his assumption that the one-way speed of light in vacuo is constant and the same for all inertial observers (Einstein's second postulate), attempts were made to get at the Lorentz transformations from basic properties of space and time but avoiding Einstein's second postulate. Various such approaches usually involve general consequences of the relativity principle, such as a group structure to the set of all admissible inertial transformations and also assumptions about causality and/or homogeneity of space-time combined with isotropy of space. The first such attempt is usually attributed to von Ignatowsky in 1911. It was followed shortly thereafter by a paper of Frank and Rothe published in the same year. Since then, papers have continued to be written on the subject even up to the present. We elaborate on some of the results of such papers paying special attention to a 1968 paper of Bacri and Lévy-Leblond where possible kinematical groups include the de Sitter and anti-de Sitter groups and lead to special relativity in de Sitter and anti-de Sitter spaces.

• Immigration Detention at Sea: maritime migration governance in Australia and the sanctioning of indefinite detention for the purpose of removal

  Andonea Jon Dickson

  Mig. Pol. 3, 002 (2024) · published 19 June 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Over the past four decades, maritime geographies have become prominent sites of migration governance. While there is important scholarly work on these spaces, charting changing techniques of control and containment, what continues to demand attention is the governance that works through systematically keeping people seeking asylum mobile at sea. This article focuses on Australia, examining the coerced mobilities that follow interdictions at sea and their carceral nature. I interrogate the High Court case, CPCF v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, which addresses the extended maritime detention of 157 people seeking asylum in June 2014. Through analysing the language used in this case, such as the conclusion by the majority that “to detain” a person at sea mandates a concomitant duty “to take” that person somewhere, I highlight how coerced mobility has become central to Australia’s strategy of maritime migration governance and how this has come to legitimate detention at sea without any clear time limitation. This will reveal the extent to which carcerality informs migration governance in Australia’s maritime geographies.