Publications

Order by: publication date number of citations

• Intermittency analysis in relativistic heavy-ion collisions

  Zhiming Li, Jin Wu

  SciPost Phys. Proc. 10, 006 (2022) · published 10 August 2022 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Local density fluctuations near the QCD critical point can be probed by an intermittency analysis of power-law behavior on scaled factorial moments in relativistic heavy-ion collisions. We study the second-order scaled factorial moment in Au + Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_\mathrm{NN}}$ = 7.7-200 GeV from the UrQMD model. Since the background subtraction and efficiency correction are two important aspects in this measurement, we propose a cumulative variable method to remove background contribution and a cell-by-cell method for efficiency correction in the intermittency analysis.

• Topological aspects of brane fields: Solitons and higher-form symmetries

  Salvatore D. Pace, Yu Leon Liu

  SciPost Phys. 16, 128 (2024) · published 21 May 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  In this note, we classify topological solitons of $n$-brane fields, which are nonlocal fields that describe $n$-dimensional extended objects. We consider a class of $n$-brane fields that formally define a homomorphism from the $n$-fold loop space $\Omega^n X_D$ of spacetime $X_D$ to a space $\mathcal{E}_n$. Examples of such $n$-brane fields are Wilson operators in $n$-form gauge theories. The solitons are singularities of the $n$-brane field, and we classify them using the homotopy theory of ${\mathbb{E}_n}$-algebras. We find that the classification of codimension ${k+1}$ topological solitons with ${k≥ n}$ can be understood using homotopy groups of $\mathcal{E}_n$. In particular, they are classified by ${\pi_{k-n}(\mathcal{E}_n)}$ when ${n>1}$ and by ${\pi_{k-n}(\mathcal{E}_n)}$ modulo a ${\pi_{1-n}(\mathcal{E}_n)}$ action when ${n=0}$ or ${1}$. However, for ${n>2}$, their classification goes beyond the homotopy groups of $\mathcal{E}_n$ when ${k< n}$, which we explore through examples. We compare this classification to $n$-form $\mathcal{E}_n$ gauge theory. We then apply this classification and consider an ${n}$-form symmetry described by the abelian group ${G^{(n)}}$ that is spontaneously broken to ${H^{(n)}\subset G^{(n)}}$, for which the order parameter characterizing this symmetry breaking pattern is an ${n}$-brane field with target space ${\mathcal{E}_n = G^{(n)}/H^{(n)}}$. We discuss this classification in the context of many examples, both with and without 't Hooft anomalies.

• Rational Q-systems at root of unity I. Closed chains

  Jue Hou, Yunfeng Jiang, Yuan Miao

  SciPost Phys. 16, 129 (2024) · published 22 May 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The solution of Bethe Ansatz equations for XXZ spin chain with the parameter q being a root of unity is infamously subtle. In this work, we develop the rational Q-system for this case, which offers a systematic way to find all physical solutions of the Bethe Ansatz equations at root of unity. The construction contains two parts. In the first part, we impose additional constraints to the rational Q-system. These constraints eliminate the so-called Fabricius-McCoy (FM) string solutions, yielding all primitive solutions. In the second part, we give a simple procedure to construct the descendant tower of any given primitive state. The primitive solutions together with their descendant towers constitute the complete Hilbert space. We test our proposal by extensive numerical checks and apply it to compute the torus partition function of the 6-vertex model at root of unity.

• How the blast-wave model describes PID hadron spectra from 5 TeV p-Pb collisions

  Thomas A. Trainor

  SciPost Phys. Proc. 15, 025 (2024) · published 3 April 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The blast-wave (BW) spectrum model has been applied extensively to nucleus-nucleus collision data with the intention to demonstrate formation of a quark-gluon plasma (QGP) in more-central A-A collisions. More recently the BW model has been applied to p-p, d-Au and p-Pb collisions. Such results are interpreted to indicate that "collectivity" (flows) and QGP appear in smaller systems. In this talk I review BW analysis of identified-hadron spectra from 5 TeV p-Pb collisions and examine the shape evolution of model spectra with collision centrality. I evaluate data-model fit quality using conventional statistical measures. I conclude that the BW model is not a valid data model.

• An overview of lattice results for parton distribution functions

  Luigi Del Debbio

  SciPost Phys. Proc. 15, 028 (2024) · published 3 April 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Following a ground-breaking proposal by Ji [Phys. Rev. Lett. 110, 262002 (2013)], numerical simulations of Quantum Chromo Dynamics (QCD) on a Euclidean lattice have provided new, valuable information on the structure of hadrons. In this talk, we briefly review the lattice approach to the reconstruction of parton densities, highlighting the connection between lattice observables and parton densities, with a focus on theoretical issues. Since parton distributions are extracted from lattice data by solving an inverse problem, we discuss some of the difficulties that affect these determinations and how they can be formulated in a Bayesian framework.

• Axion-like particle as cold dark matter via the misalignment mechanism with PQ symmetry unbroken during inflation

  Pawel Kozow, Marek Olechowski

  SciPost Phys. Proc. 12, 038 (2023) · published 4 July 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The QCD axion and axion-like particles (ALPs) are well motivated candidates for Cold Dark Matter (CDM). Such models may be divided into two classes depending on whether the associated Peccei-Quinn (PQ) symmetry is broken or not during inflation. The latter case is usually considered to be quite simple with relic density depending only on the corresponding decay constant and with no constraints from the known bounds on isocurvature perturbations. We will show that the situation is much more complicated. We will discuss conditions which should be fulfilled by ALP models with U(1) unbroken during inflation to be phenomenologically interesting.

• General simulation method for spontaneous parametric down- and parametric up-conversion experiments

  Felix Riexinger, Mirco Kutas, Björn Haase, Patricia Bickert, Daniel Molter, Michael Bortz, Georg von Freymann

  SciPost Phys. Core 6, 022 (2023) · published 29 March 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC) sources are an important technology for quantum sensing and imaging. We demonstrate a general simulation method, based on modeling from first principles, reproducing the spectrally and spatially resolved absolute counts of a SPDC experiment. By additionally simulating parametric up- and down-conversion processes with thermal photons as well as effects of the optical system we accomplish good agreement with the experimental results. This method is broadly applicable and allows for the separation of contributing processes, virtual characterization of SPDC sources, and enables the simulation of many quantum based applications.

• Reweighting Monte Carlo predictions and automated fragmentation variations in Pythia 8

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

  SciPost Phys. 16, 134 (2024) · published 27 May 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  This work reports on a method for uncertainty estimation in simulated collider-event predictions. The method is based on a Monte Carlo-veto algorithm, and extends previous work on uncertainty estimates in parton showers by including uncertainty estimates for the Lund string-fragmentation model. This method is advantageous from the perspective of simulation costs: a single ensemble of generated events can be reinterpreted as though it was obtained using a different set of input parameters, where each event now is accompanied with a corresponding weight. This allows for a robust exploration of the uncertainties arising from the choice of input model parameters, without the need to rerun full simulation pipelines for each input parameter choice. Such explorations are important when determining the sensitivities of precision physics measurements. Accompanying code is available at https://gitlab.com/uchep/mlhad-weights-validation.

• Radiative asymptotic symmetries of 3D Einstein-Maxwell theory

  Jorrit Bosma, Marc Geiller, Sucheta Majumdar, Blagoje Oblak

  SciPost Phys. 16, 092 (2024) · published 3 April 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We study the null asymptotic structure of Einstein-Maxwell theory in three-dimensional (3D) spacetimes. Although devoid of bulk gravitational degrees of freedom, the system admits a massless photon and can therefore accommodate electromagnetic radiation. We derive fall-off conditions for the Maxwell field that contain both Coulombic and radiative modes with non-vanishing news. The latter produces non-integrability and fluxes in the asymptotic surface charges, and gives rise to a non-trivial 3D Bondi mass loss formula. The resulting solution space is thus analogous to a dimensional reduction of 4D pure gravity, with the role of gravitational radiation played by its electromagnetic cousin. We use this simplified setup to investigate choices of charge brackets in detail, and compute in particular the recently introduced Koszul bracket. When the latter is applied to Wald-Zoupas charges, which are conserved in the absence of news, it leads to the field-dependent central extension found earlier in [Class. Quantum Gravity 32, 245001 (2015)]. We also consider (Anti-)de Sitter asymptotics to further exhibit the analogy between this model and 4D gravity with leaky boundary conditions.

• Stochastic series expansion quantum Monte Carlo for Rydberg arrays

  Ejaaz Merali, Isaac J. S. De Vlugt, Roger G. Melko

  SciPost Phys. Core 7, 016 (2024) · published 5 April 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Arrays of Rydberg atoms are a powerful platform to realize strongly-interacting quantum many-body systems. A common Rydberg Hamiltonian is free of the sign problem, meaning that its equilibrium properties are amenable to efficient simulation by quantum Monte Carlo (QMC). In this paper, we develop a Stochastic Series Expansion QMC algorithm for Rydberg atoms interacting on arbitrary lattices. We describe a cluster update that allows for the efficient sampling and calculation of physical observables for typical experimental parameters, and show that the algorithm can reproduce experimental results on large Rydberg arrays in one and two dimensions.