Publications

Order by: publication date number of citations

• Approach to the separatrix with eccentric orbits

  Guillaume Lhost, Geoffrey Compère

  SciPost Phys. Core 8, 059 (2025) · published 29 August 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Eccentric binary compact mergers are prime targets of current and future gravitational wave observatories. In the small mass ratio expansion, post-adiabatic inspirals have been modeled up to the separatrix, where first-principle modeling currently ends. In this paper, we derive the analytic late time solution to the adiabatic inspiral in terms of self-force coefficients at the separatrix. We identify the role of the Lambert $W_{-1}$ function as a key mathematical ingredient in the approach to the separatrix.

  2 citations

• Statistical physics of the polarised IKKT matrix model

  Sean A. Hartnoll, Jun Liu

  SciPost Phys. 19, 099 (2025) · published 16 October 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The polarised IKKT matrix model is the worldpoint theory of $N$ D-instantons in a background three-form flux of magnitude $\Omega$, and promises to be a highly tractable model of holography. The matrix integral can be viewed as a statistical physics partition function with inverse temperature $\Omega^4$. At large $\Omega$ the model is dominated by a matrix configuration corresponding to a 'polarised' spherical D1-brane. We show that at a critical value of $\Omega^2 N$ the model undergoes a first order phase transition, corresponding to tunneling into a collection of well-separated D-instantons. These instantons are the remnant of a competing saddle in the high $\Omega$ phase corresponding to spherical $(p,q)$ fivebranes. We use a combination of numerical and analytical arguments to capture the different regimes of the model.

  2 citations

• B-type D-branes in hybrid models

  Johanna Knapp, Robert Pryor

  SciPost Phys. 17, 165 (2024) · published 12 December 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  A hybrid model is a fibration of a Landau-Ginzburg orbifold over a geometric base. We study B-type D-branes in hybrid models. Imposing B-type supersymmetry on the boundary action, we show that D-branes are specified by matrix factorisations in the fibre direction, together with some geometric data associated to the base. We also deduce conditions for the compatibility of these branes with the bulk orbifold actions and R-symmetry. We construct examples of hybrid B-branes which are generalisations of well-studied branes in geometric and Landau-Ginzburg models. Hybrid models can arise at limiting points of the stringy Kähler moduli space of Calabi-Yaus, and can be realised as phases of the corresponding gauged linear sigma models (GLSMs). Using GLSM techniques, we establish connections between geometric branes and hybrid branes. As explicit examples, we consider one- and two-parameter Calabi-Yau hybrids with a $\mathbb{P}^1$-base.

  1 citation

• Position-dependent mass quantum systems and ADM formalism

  Davood Momeni

  SciPost Phys. Proc. 4, 009 (2021) · published 13 August 2021 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  The classical Einstein-Hilbert (EH) action for general relativity (GR) is shown to be formally analogous to the classical system with position-dependent mass (PDM) models. The analogy is developed and used to build the covariant classical Hamiltonian as well as defining an alternative phase portrait for GR. The set of associated Hamilton's equations in the phase space is presented as a first-order system dual to the Einstein field equations. Following the principles of quantum mechanics, I build a canonical theory for the classical general. A fully consistent quantum Hamiltonian for GR is constructed based on adopting a high dimensional phase space. It is observed that the functional wave equation is timeless. As a direct application, I present an alternative wave equation for quantum cosmology. In comparison to the standard Arnowitt-Deser-Misner(ADM) decomposition and quantum gravity proposals, I extended my analysis beyond the covariant regime when the metric is decomposed into the 3+1 dimensional ADM decomposition. I showed that an equal dimensional phase space can be obtained if one applies ADM decomposed metric.

  1 citation

• The complex Liouville string: The gravitational path integral

  Scott Collier, Lorenz Eberhardt, Beatrix Mühlmann

  SciPost Phys. 19, 115 (2025) · published 28 October 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We give a rigorous definition of sine dilaton gravity in terms of the worldsheet theory of the complex Liouville string [S. Collier et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 134, 251602 (2025)]. The latter has a known exact solution that we leverage to explore the gravitational path integral of sine dilaton gravity – a quantum deformation of dS JT gravity that admits both AdS$_2$ and dS$_2$ vacua. We uncover that the gravitational path integral receives contributions from new saddles describing transitions between vacua in a third-quantized picture. We also discuss the sphere and disk partition function in this context and contrast our findings with other recent work on this theory.

  1 citation

• Nuclear matter effects on jet production at electron-ion colliders

  Hai Tao Li, Ze Long Liu, Ivan Vitev

  SciPost Phys. Proc. 8, 134 (2022) · published 14 July 2022 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  In these proceedings we report recent progress on understanding hadron and jet production in electron-nucleus collisions at the future Electron-Ion Collider [1,2]. These processes will play an essential role in the exploration of the partonic structure of nuclei and the study of parton shower evolution in strongly-interacting matter. We employ the framework of soft-collinear effective theory, generalized to include in-medium interactions, to present the first theoretical results for inclusive hadron and jet cross sections, as well as the jet charge modification in deep inelastic scattering on nuclei. We further demonstrate how to separate initial-state and final-state effects.

  1 citation

• Three dimensional topological field theories and Nahm sum formulas

  Dongmin Gang, Heeyeon Kim, Byoungyoon Park, Spencer Stubbs

  SciPost Phys. 19, 128 (2025) · published 12 November 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  It is known that a large class of characters of 2d conformal field theories (CFTs) can be written in the form of a Nahm sum. In [D. Zagier, in Frontiers in number theory, physics, and geometry II, Springer, Berlin (2007)], D. Zagier identified a list of Nahm sum expressions that are modular functions under a congruence subgroup of $SL(2,\mathbb{Z})$, which can be thought of as candidates for characters of rational CFTs. Motivated by the observation that the same formulas appear as the half-indices of certain 3d $\mathcal{N}=2$ supersymmetric gauge theories, we perform a general search over low-rank 3d $\mathcal{N}=2$ Abelian Chern-Simons matter theories which either flow to unitary TFTs or $\mathcal{N}=4$ rank-zero SCFTs in the infrared. These are exceptional classes of 3d theories, which are expected to support rational and $C_2$-cofinite chiral algebras on their boundary. We compare and contrast our results with Zagier's and comment on a possible generalization of Nahm's conjecture.

  1 citation

• Cracking hadron and nuclear collisions open with ropes and string shoving in PYTHIA8

  Smita Chakraborty

  SciPost Phys. Proc. 10, 017 (2022) · published 10 August 2022 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Enhancement in strangeness yields in heavy-ion collisions is regarded as one of the attributes of the Quark-Gluon Plasma (QGP) along with jet quenching and final-state collectivity. To reproduce these effects in the MC implementation of the Lund string model in \pythia, the inclusion of non-perturbative mechanisms like string shoving and rope hadronization is crucial. In this proceeding, we discuss our latest implementation of these mechanisms and the preliminary results for the strangeness enhancement in high-multiplicity p-p, p-Pb and Xe-Xe. We conclude with remarks on the ongoing development of the model.

  1 citation

• Central exclusive production of axial-vector f1 mesons in proton-proton collisions within the tensor-pomeron approach

  Piotr Lebiedowicz

  SciPost Phys. Proc. 6, 010 (2022) · published 31 May 2022 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We discuss the central exclusive production of $f_{1}$ mesons in proton-proton collisions. The diffractive pomeron-pomeron fusion process within the tensor-pomeron approach is considered. Two ways to construct the pomeron-pomeron-$f_{1}$ coupling are discussed. The theoretical calculation of coupling constants is a challenging problem of nonperturbative QCD. We adjust the parameters of the model to the WA102 experimental data. The total cross section and differential distributions are presented. Predictions for LHC experiments are given. Detailed analysis of the distributions in $\phi_{pp}$ the azimuthal angle between the transverse momenta of the outgoing protons can help to check different models and to study real pattern of the absorption effects.

  1 citation

• Integrable models on Rydberg atom chains

  Luke Corcoran, Marius de Leeuw, Balázs Pozsgay

  SciPost Phys. 18, 139 (2025) · published 25 April 2025 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We initiate a systematic study of integrable models for spin chains with constrained Hilbert spaces; we focus on spin-1/2 chains with the Rydberg constraint. We extend earlier results for medium-range spin chains to the constrained Hilbert space, and formulate an integrability condition. This enables us to construct new integrable models with fixed interaction ranges. We classify all time- and space-reflection symmetric integrable Rydberg-constrained Hamiltonians of range 3 and 4. At range 3, we find a single family of integrable Hamiltonians: the so-called RSOS quantum chains, which are related to the well-known RSOS models of Andrews, Baxter, and Forrester. At range 4 we find two families of models, the first of which is the constrained XXZ model. We also find a new family of models depending on a single coupling $z$. We provide evidence of two critical points related to the golden ratio $\phi$, at $z=\phi^{-1/2}$ and $z=\phi^{3/2}$. We also perform a partial classification of integrable Hamiltonians for range 5.

  1 citation