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At least 757 records · Page 42

From Existing and New Nuclear and Astrophysical Constraints to Stringent Limits on the Equation of State of Neutron-Rich Dense Matter

Through continuous progress in nuclear theory and experiment and an increasing number of neutron-star (NS) observations, a multitude of information about the equation of state (EOS) for matter at extreme densities is available. To constrain the EOS across its entire density range, this information needs to be combined consistently. However, the impact and model dependency of individual observations vary. Given their growing number, assessing the various methods is crucial to compare the respective effects on the EOS and discover potential biases. For this purpose, we present a broad compendium of different constraints and apply them individually to a large set of EOS candidates within a Bayesian framework. Specifically, we explore different ways of how chiral effective field theory and perturbative quantum chromodynamics can be used to place a likelihood on EOS candidates. We also investigate the impact of nuclear experimental constraints, as well as different radio and x-ray observations of NS masses and radii. This is augmented by reanalyses of the existing data from binary neutron star coalescences, in particular of GW170817, with improved models for the tidal waveform and kilonova light curves, which we also utilize to construct a tight upper limit of 2.39 M ⊙ on the TOV mass based on GW170817’s remnant. Our diverse set of constraints is eventually combined to obtain stringent limits on NS properties. We organize the combination in a way to distinguish between constraints where the systematic uncertainties are deemed small and those that rely on less conservative assumptions. For the former, we find the radius of the canonical 1.4 M ⊙ neutron star to be R 1.4 = 12.2 6 − 0.91 + 0.80 km and the TOV mass at M TOV = 2.2 5 − 0.22 + 0.42 M ⊙ (95% credibility). Including all the presented constraints yields R 1.4 = 12.2 0 − 0.48 + 0.50 km and M TOV = 2.3 0 − 0.20 + 0.07 M ⊙ . When comparing these limits to individual data points, we find that the quoted radius of HESS J1731-347 displays noticeable tension with other constraints. Constraining microphysical properties of the EOS proves more challenging. For instance, the symmetry energy slope is restricted to L sym = 48 − 25 + 21 MeV , where this constraint is mainly dominated by our reanalysis of the PREX-II and CREX experiment. Published by the American Physical Society 2025

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Density-matrix mean-field theory

Mean-field theories have proven to be efficient tools for exploring diverse phases of matter, complementing alternative methods that are more precise but also more computationally demanding. Conventional mean-field theories often fall short in capturing quantum fluctuations, which restricts their applicability to systems with significant quantum effects. In this article, we propose an improved mean-field theory, density-matrix mean-field theory (DMMFT). DMMFT constructs effective Hamiltonians, incorporating quantum environments shaped by entanglements, quantified by the reduced density matrices. Therefore, it offers a systematic and unbiased approach to account for the effects of fluctuations and entanglements in quantum ordered phases. As demonstrative examples, we show that DMMFT can not only quantitatively evaluate the renormalization of order parameters induced by quantum fluctuations, but can also detect the topological quantum phases. Additionally, we discuss the extensions of DMMFT for systems at finite temperatures and those with disorders. Our work provides an efficient approach to explore phases exhibiting unconventional quantum orders, which can be particularly beneficial for investigating frustrated spin systems in high spatial dimensions.

Physics↗

Quantum Monte Carlo calculation of 𝛿 NS in 10 C using an effective field theory approach

Here, we compute radiative corrections to the superallowed 𝛽 decay of 10 C in an effective field theory approach using nuclear matrix elements obtained from quantum Monte Carlo calculations. These corrections are an important ingredient in the extraction of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Masakawa quark mixing matrix element 𝑉 𝑢⁢𝑑 , and the role of this work is to illuminate the uncertainties arising from nuclear structure. Our results provide good agreement with both the traditional extraction of 𝑉 𝑢⁢𝑑 , as well as with a more recent evaluation performed using the no-core shell model and a dispersion formalism. The dominant uncertainty in this approach is the presence of two unknown low-energy constants that enter into the relevant nuclear matrix elements. Future determinations of these low-energy constants—either from QCD or modeling them with two nucleon amplitudes—would improve the precision of the extraction in this formalism.

beta decay↗

Fractional vortices, Z 2 gauge theory, and the confinement-deconfinement transition

Here, in this Letter we discuss the classical three-dimensional XY model whose nearest-neighbor interaction is a mixture of cos (θ i -θ j ) (ferromagnetic) and cos 2 (θ i -θ j ) (nematic). This model is dual to a theory with integer and half-integer vortices. While both types of vortices interact with a noncompact U(1) gauge field, the half-integer vortices interact with an extra interaction mediated by a Z 2 gauge field. We shall discuss the confinement-deconfinement transition of the half-integer vortices, the Wilson and the 't Hooft loops, and their mutual statistics in path integral language. In addition, we shall present a quantum version of the classical model which exhibits these physics.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Electromagnetic signatures of a chiral quantum spin liquid

Quantum spin liquids (QSL) have emerged as a captivating subject within interacting spin systems that exhibit no magnetic ordering even at the lowest temperature accessible experimentally. However, definitive experimental evidence remains elusive. In light of the recent surge in theoretical and experimental interest in the half-filled Hubbard model on a triangular lattice, which offers the potential for stabilizing a chiral QSL, we investigate the electromagnetic signatures of this phase to facilitate experimental detection. Utilizing a combination of parton mean-field theory and unbiased density-matrix renormalization group calculations, we systematically examine the electrical charge and orbital electrical current associated with a spinon excitation in the chiral QSL. Additionally, we calculate the longitudinal and transverse optical conductivities below the Mott gap. Furthermore, employing quantum field theory analysis, we unravel the connection between spinon excitations and emergent as well as physical gauge fields. Our results demonstrate that the chiral QSL phase exhibits a distinct electromagnetic response, even within a Mott insulator regime. This finding holds great potential for enabling the experimental detection of this long-sought-after phase.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Efficient use of quantum computers for collider physics

Most observables at particle colliders involve physics at a wide variety of distance scales. Due to asymptotic freedom of the strong interaction, the physics at short distances can be calculated reliably using perturbative techniques, while long distance physics is non-perturbative in nature. Factorization theorems separate the contributions from different scales, allowing to identify the pieces that can be determined perturbatively from those that require non-perturbative information, and if the non-perturbative pieces can be reliably determined, one can use experimental measurements to extract the short distance effects, sensitive to possible new physics. Without the ability to compute the non-perturbative ingredients from first principles one typically identifies observables for which the non-perturbative information is universal in the sense that it can be extracted from some experimental observables and then used to predict other observables. In this paper we argue that the future ability to use quantum computers to calculate non-perturbative matrix elements from first principles will allow to make predictions for observables with non-universal non-perturbative long-distance physics.

Algorithms and Theoretical Developments↗

Theory of quantum circuits with Abelian symmetries

Quantum circuits with gates (local unitaries) respecting a global symmetry have broad applications in quantum information science and related fields, such as condensed-matter theory and quantum thermodynamics. However, despite their widespread use, fundamental properties of such circuits are not well understood. Recently, it was found that generic unitaries respecting a global symmetry cannot be realized, even approximately, using gates that respect the same symmetry. This observation raises important open questions: What unitary transformations can be realized with k -local gates that respect a global symmetry? In other words, in the presence of a global symmetry, how does the locality of interactions constrain the possible time evolution of a composite system? In this work, we address these questions for the case of Abelian (commutative) symmetries and develop constructive methods for synthesizing circuits with such symmetries. Remarkably, as a corollary, we find that, while the locality of interactions still imposes additional constraints on realizable unitaries, certain restrictions observed in the case of non-Abelian symmetries do not apply to circuits with Abelian symmetries. For instance, in circuits with a general non-Abelian symmetry such as SU ( d ) , the unitary realized in a subspace with one irreducible representation (charge) of the symmetry dictates the realized unitaries in multiple other sectors with inequivalent representations of the symmetry. Furthermore, in certain sectors, rather than all unitaries respecting the symmetry, the realizable unitaries are the symplectic or orthogonal subgroups of this group. We prove that none of these restrictions appears in the case of Abelian symmetries. This result suggests that global non-Abelian symmetries may affect the thermalization of quantum systems in ways not possible under Abelian symmetries. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Marvian, Iman↗

Quantum Monte Carlo Calculations of Chemical Binding and Reactions

The auxiliary field quantum Monte Carlo method developed by the PIs has been shown to provide the most accurate description of strongly correlated electronic systems, from molecules to solids. Unlike other explicitly many‐body approaches, the quantum Monte Carlo method scales as a low order polynomial of systems size, similar to mean‐field methods such as density functional theory. However, the auxiliary field quantum Monte Carlo algorithm is significantly more expensive than traditional density functional calculations. This creates a bottleneck for applications to extended systems, such as large molecules and solids. One principal objective of this proposal was to develop new auxiliary field quantum Monte Carlo computational strategies to achieve improved scaling with system size, using downfolding and localization schemes, without sacrificing the predictive power of the calculations. A second goal is to extend the reach of auxiliary field quantum Monte Carlo to calculate excited states. This final report summarizes what has been achieved during the course the project toward these goals.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Islands in non-minimal dilaton gravity: exploring effective theories for black hole evaporation

We start from (3 + 1)-dimensional Einstein gravity with minimally coupled massless scalar matter, through spherical dimensional reduction, the matter theory is non-minimally coupled with the dilaton in (1 + 1)-dimensions. Despite its simplicity, constructing a self-consistent one-loop effective theory for this model remains a challenge, partially due to a Weyl-invariant ambiguity in the effective action. With a universal splitting property for the one-loop action, the ambiguity can be identified with the state-dependent part of the covariant quantum stress tensor. By introducing on-shell equivalent auxiliary fields to construct minimal candidates of Weyl-invariant terms, we derive a one-parameter family of one-loop actions with unique, regular, and physical stress tensors corresponding to the Boulware, Hartle-Hawking and Unruh states. We further study the back-reacted geometry and the corresponding quantum extremal islands that were inaccessible without a consistent one-loop theory. Along the way, we elaborate on the implications of our construction for the non-minimal dilaton gravity model.

2D Gravity↗

Minimally entangled state preparation of localized wave functions on quantum computers

Initializing a single site of a lattice scalar field theory into an arbitrary state with support throughout the quantum register requires $O(2^{nQ})$ entangling gates on a quantum computer with $n_Q$ qubits per site. It is conceivable that instead initializing to functions that are good approximations to states may have utility in reducing the number of required entangling gates. In the case of a single site of a noninteracting scalar field theory, initializing to a symmetric exponential wave function requires $n_Q – 1$ entangling gates, the minimal number necessary to create an entangled state of all $n_Q$ qubits. This is compared with the $2^{nQ – 1} + n_Q – 3 + δ_{nQ, 1}$ required for a symmetric Gaussian wave function. In this work, we explore the initialization of one-site $(n_Q = 4)$, two-site $(n_Q = 3)$, and three-site ( n Q = 3 ) noninteracting scalar field theories with symmetric exponential wave functions using IBM's quantum simulators and quantum devices (Poughkeepsie and Tokyo). With the digitizations attainable with $n_Q = 3,4$, these tensor-product wave functions are found to have large overlap with a Gaussian wave function and provide a suitable low-noise initialization for improvement and Somma inflation. Further, in performing these simulations, we have employed a workflow that interleaves calibrations to mitigate systematic errors in production. The calibrations allow tolerance cuts on gate performance including the fidelity of the symmetrizing Hadamard gate, both in vacuum $(|\textbf{0}\gg^{\bigotimes nQ})$ and in medium ($n_Q –1$ qubits initialized to an exponential function). The results obtained in this work are relevant to systems beyond scalar field theories, such as the deuteron radial wave function, two- and three-dimensional Cartesian-space wave functions, and nonrelativistic multinucleon systems built on a localized eigenbasis.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Out-of-time ordered correlation functions for the localized 𝑓 electrons in the Falicov-Kimball model

We provide an exact evaluation of the out-of-time correlation (OTOC) functions for the localized 𝑓-particle states in the Falicov-Kimball model within dynamical mean-field theory. Different regimes of quantum chaos and quantum scrambling are distinguished by the winding numbers of the block Toeplitz matrices used in the calculation. The similarities of these fermionic OTOCs and their logarithmic derivatives for time evolution with the OTOCs for quantum spin models with disorder are also discussed.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Quantum electrodynamics mediated by a photon with continuous spin

In recent work with Zhou, we studied classical interactions of matter with a “continuous spin” field, whose excitations have zero mass but nonzero spin Casimir (spin scale) ρ . We reported evidence that such theories are a calculable infrared deformation of familiar massless theories including electromagnetism. Building on the aforementioned work, this paper presents rules for computing scattering amplitudes involving charged scalar matter and continuous spin photons with nonzero spin scale. As a concrete example, we compute the pair annihilation and Compton scattering amplitudes in this theory and comment on their physical properties, including unitarity and scaling behavior at small and large ρ . Like the classical physics and soft factors studied in prior work, these amplitudes exhibit “helicity correspondence,” recovering familiar amplitudes at energy scales ≫ ρ , but with calculable deviations that could be experimentally tested. These results bolster the conjecture that continuous spin particles with a very small ρ could mediate long-range forces in nature (e.g., the photon could be a continuous spin particle), and extend the range of physical effects that could be used to test this hypothesis. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗