Publications

Order by: publication date number of citations

• Point sources of ultra-high-energy neutrinos: Minimalist predictions for near-future discovery

  Damiano F. G. Fiorillo, Mauricio Bustamante, Victor B. Valera

  SciPost Phys. Proc. 13, 009 (2023) · published 28 September 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The discovery of ultra-high-energy neutrinos, with energies above 100 PeV, may soon be within reach of upcoming neutrino telescopes. We present a robust framework to compute the statistical significance of point-source discovery via the detection of neutrino multiplets. We apply it to the radio array component of IceCube-Gen2. To identify a source with $3\sigma$ significance, IceCube-Gen2 will need to detect a triplet, at best, and an octuplet, at worst, depending on whether the source is steady-state or transient, and on its position in the sky. The discovery, or absence, of sources significantly constrains the properties of the source population.

• Exclusive electro-weak production of a charmed meson at high energy

  B. Pire, L. Szymanowski, J. Wagner

  SciPost Phys. Proc. 8, 150 (2022) · published 14 July 2022 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Exclusive electro-weak processes have peculiar features which make them complementary to usually discussed deeply virtual electroproduction processes such as deep virtual Compton scattering or meson production (and the corresponding crossed reactions). They allow in particular single charmed meson production, which we study in two different contexts : electroproduction at an electron ion collider and neutrino-production at a medium energy neutrino facility. We rely on the QCD collinear factorization framework where generalized parton distributions allow physicists to perform a nucleon tomography.

• Von Neumann subfactors and non-invertible symmetries

  Xingyang Yu, Hao Y. Zhang

  SciPost Phys. 19, 154 (2025) · published 15 December 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We use the language of von Neumann subfactors to investigate non-invertible symmetries in two dimensions. A fusion categorical symmetry $\mathcal{C}$, its module category $\mathcal{M}$, and a gauging labeled by an algebra object $\mathcal{A}$ are encoded in the bipartite principal graph of a subfactor. The dual principal graph captures the quantum symmetry $\mathcal{C}'$ obtained by gauging $\mathcal{A}$ in $\mathcal{C}$, as well as a reverse gauging back to $\mathcal{C}$. From a given subfactor $N \subset M$, we derive a quiver diagram that encodes the representations of the associated non-invertible symmetry. We show how this framework provides necessary conditions for admissible gaugings, enabling the construction of generalized orbifold groupoids. To illustrate this strategy, we present three examples: Rep$(D_4)$ as a warm-up, the higher-multiplicity case Rep$(A_4)$ with its associated generalized orbifold groupoid and triality symmetry, and Rep$(A_5)$, where $A_5$ is the smallest non-solvable finite group. For applications to gapless systems, we embed these generalized gaugings as global manipulations on the conformal manifolds of $c=1$ CFTs and uncover new self-dualities in the exceptional $SU(2)_1/A_5$ theory. For $\mathcal{C}$-symmetric TQFTs, we use the subfactor-derived quiver diagrams to characterize gapped phases, describe their vacuum structure, and classify the recently proposed particle-soliton degeneracies.

• Position operators and interband matrix elements of scalar and vector potentials in the 8-band Kane model

  I. A. Ado, M. Titov, Rembert A. Duine, Arne Brataas

  SciPost Phys. 17, 009 (2024) · published 10 July 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We diagonalize the 8-band Kane Hamiltonian with a proper inclusion of the interband matrix elements of the scalar and vector potentials. This leads, among other results, to a modification of the conventional expression for the spin-orbit coupling (SOC) strength in narrow-gap semiconductors with the zinc blende symmetry. We find that in GaAs, at low temperatures, the correct expression for the SOC strength is actually twice as large as usually considered. In InSb it is $1.76$ times larger. We also provide a proper treatment of the interband matrix elements of the position operator. We show that the velocity operator in a crystal should be defined as a time-derivative of a fictitious position operator rather than the physical one. We compute the expressions for both these position operators projected to the conduction band of the 8-band Kane model. We also derive an expression for the projected velocity operator and demonstrate that the SOC strength in it differs from the SOC strength in the Hamiltonian. The ratio between them is not equal to $1$, as it is often assumed for the Rashba model. It does not equal $2$ either. The correct result for this ratio is given by a rational function of the parameters of the model. This function takes values between $4(23+3\sqrt{2})/73≈ 1.49$ and $2$. Our findings modify a vast number of research results obtained using the Rashba model and provide a path for consistent treatment of the latter in future applications.

• Polynomial computational complexity of matrix elements of finite-rank-generated single-particle operators in products of finite bosonic states

  Dmitri A. Ivanov

  SciPost Phys. Core 7, 022 (2024) · published 22 April 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  It is known that computing the permanent of the matrix 1+A, where A is a finite-rank matrix, requires a number of operations polynomial in the matrix size. Motivated by the boson-sampling proposal of restricted quantum computation, I extend this result to a generalization of the matrix permanent: An expectation value in a product of a large number of identical bosonic states with a bounded number of bosons. This result complements earlier studies on the computational complexity in boson sampling and related setups. The proposed technique based on the Gaussian averaging is equally applicable to bosonic and fermionic systems. This also allows us to improve an earlier polynomial complexity estimate for the fermionic version of the same problem.

• Cosmology of the companion-axion model: Dark matter, gravitational waves, and primordial black holes

  Zhe Chen, Archil Kobakhidze, Ciaran O'Hare, Zachary S. C. Picker, Giovanni Pierobon

  SciPost Phys. 18, 175 (2025) · published 4 June 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The companion-axion model introduces a second QCD axion to rescue the Peccei-Quinn solution to the strong-CP problem from the effects of colored gravitational instantons. As in single-axion models, the two axions predicted by the companion-axion model are attractive candidates for dark matter. The model is defined by two free parameters, the scales of the two axions' symmetry breaking, so we can classify production scenarios in terms of the relative sizes of these two scales with respect to the scale of inflation. We study the cosmological production of companion-axion dark matter in order to predict windows of preferred axion masses, and calculate the relative abundances of the two particles. Additionally, we show that the presence of a second axion solves the cosmological domain wall problem automatically in the scenarios in which one or both of the axions are post-inflationary. We also suggest unique cosmological signatures of the companion-axion model, such as the production of a $\sim$10 nHz gravitational wave background, and $\sim 100\,M_\odot$ primordial black holes.

• Transverse spin asymmetries for inclusive $\rho^0$ production in SIDIS at COMPASS

  A. Kerbizi

  SciPost Phys. Proc. 8, 146 (2022) · published 14 July 2022 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The production of vector mesons in SIDIS is a particularly interesting channel to study the polarized fragmentation and related phenomena. Preliminary COMPASS results for the first measurement of inclusive $\rho^0$ Collins and Sivers transverse-spin asymmetries are presented here for the first time. The analysis is based on the data-set collected by COMPASS in $2010$ using a $160\, \rm{GeV}/c$ $\mu^+$ beam and a transversely polarized $NH_3$ target. The asymmetries are extracted as function of Bjorken-$x$, of the total transverse momentum of the oppositely charged hadron pair and of the fraction of available energy $z$ carried by the pair. Indications for positive Collins and Sivers asymmetries are obtained as expected from models.

• Fusion of irreducible modules in the periodic Temperley–Lieb algebra

  Yacine Ikhlef, Alexi Morin-Duchesne

  SciPost Phys. 17, 132 (2024) · published 12 November 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We propose a new family $\mathsf{Y}_{k,\ell,x,y,[z,w]}$ of modules over the enlarged periodic Temperley–Lieb algebra $\mathsf{\mathcal EPTL}_N(\beta)$. These modules are built from link states with two marked points, similarly to the modules $\mathsf{X}_{k,\ell,x,y,z}$ that we constructed in a previous paper. They however differ in the way that defects connect pairwise. We analyse the decomposition of $\mathsf{Y}_{k,\ell,x,y,[z,w]}$ over the irreducible standard modules $\mathsf{W}_{k,x}$ for generic values of the parameters $z$ and $w$, and use it to deduce the fusion rules for the fusion $\mathsf{W} × \mathsf{W}$ of standard modules. These turn out to be more symmetric than those obtained previously using the modules $\mathsf{X}_{k,\ell,x,y,z}$. From the work of Graham and Lehrer, it is known that, for $\beta = -q-q^{-1}$ where $q$ is not a root of unity, there exists a set of non-generic values of the twist $y$ for which the standard module $\mathsf{W}_{\ell,y}$ is indecomposable yet reducible with two composition factors: a radical submodule $\mathsf{R}_{\ell,y}$ and a quotient module $\mathsf{Q}_{\ell,y}$. Here, we construct the fusion products $\mathsf{W}×\mathsf{R}$, $\mathsf{W}×\mathsf{Q}$ and $\mathsf{Q} × \mathsf{Q}$, and analyse their decomposition over indecomposable modules. For the fusions involving the quotient modules $\mathsf{Q}$, we find very simple results reminiscent of $\mathfrak{sl}(2)$ fusion rules. This construction with modules $\mathsf{Y}_{k,\ell,x,y,[z,w]}$ is a good lattice regularization of the operator product expansion in the underlying logarithmic bulk conformal field theory. Indeed, it fits with the correspondence between standard modules and connectivity operators, and is useful for the calculation of their correlation functions. Remarkably, we show that the fusion rules $\mathsf{W}×\mathsf{Q}$ and $\mathsf{Q}×\mathsf{Q}$ are consistent with the known fusion rules of degenerate primary fields.

• Results on high energy galactic cosmic rays from the DAMPE space mission

  Leandro Silveri on behalf of the DAMPE Collaboration

  SciPost Phys. Proc. 13, 012 (2023) · published 28 September 2023 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  DAMPE (Dark Matter Particle Explorer) is a satellite-born experiment launched in 2015 in a sun-synchronous orbit at 500 km altitude, and it has been taking data in stable conditions ever since. Its main goals include the spectral measurements up to very high energies, cosmic electrons/positrons and gamma rays up to tens of TeV, and protons and nuclei up to hundreds of TeV. The detector's main features include the 32 radiation lengths deep calorimeter and large geometric acceptance, making DAMPE one of the most powerful space instruments in operation, covering with high statistics and small systematics the high energy frontier up to several hundreds TeV. The results of spectral measurements of different species are shown and discussed.

• Nonequilibrium steady-state dynamics of Markov processes on graphs

  Stefano Crotti, Thomas Barthel, Alfredo Braunstein

  SciPost Phys. 19, 045 (2025) · published 18 August 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We propose an analytic approach for the steady-state dynamics of Markov processes on locally tree-like graphs. It is based on time-translation invariant probability distributions for edge trajectories, which we encode in terms of infinite matrix products. For homogeneous ensembles on regular graphs, the distribution is parametrized by a single $d× d× r^2$ tensor, where $r$ is the number of states per variable, and $d$ is the matrix-product bond dimension. While the method becomes exact in the large-$d$ limit, it typically provides highly accurate results even for small bond dimensions $d$. The $d^2r^2$ parameters are determined by solving a fixed point equation, for which we provide an efficient belief-propagation procedure. We apply this approach to a variety of models, including Ising-Glauber dynamics with symmetric and asymmetric couplings, as well as the SIS model. Even for small $d$, the results are compatible with Monte Carlo estimates and accurately reproduce known exact solutions. The method provides access to precise temporal correlations, which, in some regimes, would be virtually impossible to estimate by sampling.