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DOE OSTI2025

Quark and Gluon Momentum Fractions in the Pion and in the Kaon

We present the full decomposition of the momentum fraction carried by quarks and gluons in the pion and the kaon. We employ three gauge ensembles generated with N f = 2 + 1 + 1 Wilson twisted-mass clover-improved fermions at the physical quark masses. For both mesons we perform a continuum extrapolation directly at the physical pion mass, which allows us to determine for the first time the momentum decomposition at the physical point. We find that the total momentum fraction carried by quarks is 0.575(79) and 0.683(50) and by gluons 0.402(53) and 0.422(67) in the pion and in the kaon, respectively, in the MS ¯ scheme and at the renormalization scale of 2 GeV. Having computed both the quark and gluon contributions in the continuum limit, we find that the momentum sum is 0.984(89) for the pion and 1.13(11) for the kaon, verifying the momentum sum rule. Published by the American Physical Society 2025

Alexandrou, Constantia↗
DOE OSTI2026

Search for the chiral magnetic effect through beam energy dependence of charge separation using event shape selection

High-energy, heavy-ion collisions can create local domains of chirality-imbalanced quarks, reflecting the topological features of quantum chromodynamics. The chiral magnetic effect (CME) predicts an electric charge separation of quarks in such topological domains along the magnetic field ($\vec{B}$) generated by the passing of two high-Z nuclei. Here, we use a correlation observable Δ⁢𝛾$^{112}$ between charged meson pairs to detect the CME-induced charge separation and a novel event shape selection (ESS) method to mitigate the background effects related to elliptic flow (𝑣 2 ). The ESS method classifies events based on the emission pattern of final-state particles and determines Δ⁢𝛾$^{112}_{ESS}$ from the zero-flow limit. We reconstruct the $\vec{B}$ field direction from the spectator nucleons, which minimizes backgrounds unrelated to the collective motion of the system. In this work, we report the measurements of Δ⁢𝛾$^{112}$ and a background indicator Δ⁢𝛾$^{132}$ in Au+Au collisions from the Brookhaven National Laboratory Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) Beam Energy Scan phase II and at the top RHIC energy. After background suppression, Δ⁢𝛾$^{132}_{ESS}$ aligns with zero, and Δ⁢𝛾$^{112}_{ESS}$ is reduced to no more than 20% of Δ⁢𝛾$^{112}$. We observe a finite residual charge separation with 2.5⁢𝜎, 3⁢𝜎, and 3.2⁢𝜎 significance in the 20–50% centrality range of Au + Au collisions at 11.5, 14.6, and 19.6 GeV. The results at 17.3 and 27 GeV also show positive values but with a lower significance of 1.3⁢𝜎 and 1.1⁢𝜎, respectively. The corresponding Δ⁢𝛾$^{112}_{ESS}$ values at 7.7, 9.2, and 200 GeV are consistent with zero within uncertainties.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

First Global Extraction of Generalized Parton Distributions from Experiment and Lattice Data with Next-to-Leading-Order Accuracy

We report the first global extraction of generalized parton distributions, GUMP 1.0, by combining deeply virtual Compton scattering and 𝜌-meson production data from Jefferson Lab and the Hadron-Electron Ring Accelerator with global fits of parton distribution functions, charge form factors, and lattice quantum chromodynamics simulations. Using a conformal moment space parametrization, we achieve a unified description across low- and high-𝑥 regions at next to leading order accuracy in perturbative corrections. The results provide state-of-the-art generalized parton distributions consistent with almost all known facts, enabling three-dimensional nucleon imaging in impact parameter space and, at the same time, establishing a benchmark for future theoretical and experimental studies of the nucleon structure.

Form factors↗
DOE OSTI2025

Photonuclear tomography in ultraperipheral heavy-ion collisions

We present a theoretical investigation of photonuclear tomography as a novel technique for probing the internal structure of nuclei. In this approach, ultraperipheral heavy-ion collisions (UPCs) serve as a source of intense fluxes of virtual photons, which induce coherent production of vector mesons. By analyzing the probabilities and cross sections of these photon-induced processes, we propose a methodology for reconstructing the spatial distribution of nucleons within the nucleus. Our framework provides a systematic way to access information on the nuclear geometry probed in UPCs, offering new opportunities for studies of nuclear structure using particle production as a probe. Numerical calculations for selected examples illustrate the feasibility and potential of this method.

particle & resonance production↗
DOE OSTI2026

Evidence of Spin-Interference Effects in Exclusive 𝐽/𝜓 → 𝑒 + ⁢𝑒 − Photoproduction in Ultraperipheral Heavy-Ion Collisions

Here, we report the first evidence of spin interference in exclusive 𝐽/𝜓 → 𝑒 + ⁢𝑒 − photoproduction in ultraperipheral heavy-ion collisions at STAR at $\sqrt{𝑠_{𝑁⁢𝑁}}$ = 200 GeV. In Au + Au collisions, a negative cos⁡(2⁢𝜙) modulation is found for 𝑝 𝑇 < 120 MeV/𝑐 with a significance of 3.2⁢𝜎, while the isobar data (Ru + Ru, Zr + Zr) show a consistent negative modulation with a significance of 1.9⁢𝜎, opposite in sign to that in 𝜌 0 → 𝜋 + ⁢𝜋 − photoproduction. This establishes for the first time that the interference sign is controlled by the spin structure of the final-state daughters, resolving the ambiguity present in the all-boson 𝜌 0 channel. The compact 𝐽/𝜓 probes gluon distributions at perturbative scales, resulting in a weaker modulation and providing stringent constraints on color glass condensate calculations. These findings demonstrate that spin-dependent interference in heavy vector mesons provides a new, experimentally accessible handle on gluon structure beyond traditional cross-section measurements.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Averages of 𝑏-hadron, 𝑐-hadron, and 𝜏-lepton properties as of 2023

This paper reports world averages of measurements of 𝑏-hadron, 𝑐-hadron, and 𝜏-lepton properties obtained by the Heavy Flavor Averaging Group using results available before October 2023. In rare cases, significant results obtained several months later are also used. For the averaging, common input parameters used in the various analyses are adjusted (rescaled) to common values, and known correlations are taken into account. The averages include branching fractions, lifetimes, neutral meson mixing parameters, 𝐶⁢𝑃 violation parameters, parameters of semileptonic decays, and Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix elements.

Bottom quark production↗
DOE OSTI2026

Pion and kaon PDFs from lattice QCD via large momentum effective theory and short-distance factorization

In this paper, we present a first-principles lattice-QCD calculation of the unpolarized quark PDF for the pion and the kaon. The lattice data rely on matrix elements calculated for boosted mesons coupled to non-local operators containing a Wilson line. The calculations on this lattice ensemble correspond to two degenerate light, a strange, and a charm quark (𝑁 𝑓 = 2 + 1 + 1), using maximally twisted mass fermions with a clover term. The lattice volume is 32 3 × 64, with a lattice spacing of 0.0934 fm, and a pion mass of 260 MeV. Matrix elements are calculated for hadron boosts of |𝑃 3 | = 0, 0.41, 0.83, 1.25, 1.66, and 2.07 GeV. To match lattice QCD results to their light-cone counterparts, we employ two complementary frameworks: the large-momentum effective theory (LaMET) and the short-distance factorization (SDF). Using these approaches in parallel, we also test the lattice data to identify methodology-driven systematics. Results are presented for the standard quark PDFs, as well as the valence sector. Beyond obtaining the PDFs, we also explore the possibility of extracting information on SU(3) flavor-symmetry-breaking effects. For LaMET, we also parametrize the momentum dependence to obtain the infinite-momentum PDFs. Since the present calculation is performed on a single ensemble at a pion mass of 260 MeV and fixed lattice spacing, the uncertainties reported are statistical only, and systematic uncertainties remain to be addressed in future multi-ensemble studies.

Miller, Joshua [Temple University, Philadelphia, P↗
DOE OSTI2025

Threshold photoproduction of 𝐽/Ψ off light nuclei

Here, we analyze threshold photoproduction of heavy mesons off a deuteron and helium-4, using the QCD factorization method. Assuming large skewness, the production amplitude is dominated by the leading twist-2 gluonic energy-momentum tensor. We use our recent results for the gluonic gravitational form factors of light nuclei in the impulse approximation, to estimate the differential cross sections for 𝐽/Ψ production off a deuteron and helium-4 at current electron facilities.

few-body systems↗
DOE OSTI2025

First Constraint on Atmospheric Millicharged Particles with the LUX-ZEPLIN Experiment

We report on a search for millicharged particles (mCPs) produced in cosmic ray atmospheric interactions using data collected during the first science run of the LUX-ZEPLIN experiment. The mCPs produced by two processes—meson decay and proton bremsstrahlung—are considered in this study. This search utilized a novel signature unique to liquid xenon (LXe) time projection chambers, allowing sensitivity to mCPs with masses ranging from 10 to 1000 MeV/c 2 and fractional charges between 0.001 and 0.02 of the electron charge (𝑒). With an exposure of 60 live days and a 5.5 metric ton fiducial mass, we observed no significant excess over background. This represents the first experimental search for atmospheric mCPs and the first search for mCPs using an underground LXe experiment.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Improving neutrino oscillation measurements through event classification

Precise neutrino energy reconstruction is essential for next-generation long-baseline oscillation experiments, yet current methods remain limited by large uncertainties in neutrino-nucleus interaction modeling. Even so, it is well established that different interaction channels produce systematically varying amounts of missing energy and therefore yield different reconstruction performance–information that standard calorimetric approaches do not exploit. We introduce a strategy that incorporates this structure by classifying events according to their underlying interaction type prior to energy reconstruction. Using supervised machine-learning techniques trained on labeled generator events, we leverage intrinsic kinematic differences among quasielastic scattering, meson-exchange current, resonance production, and deep-inelastic scattering processes. A cross-generator testing framework demonstrates that this classification approach is robust to microphysics mismodeling and, when applied to a simulated DUNE 𝜈 𝜇 disappearance analysis, yields improved accuracy and sensitivity at the 10%–20% level. These results highlight a practical path toward reducing reconstruction-driven systematics in future oscillation measurements.

Ellis, Sebastian A. R. [King's College, London (Un↗
DOE OSTI2022

MICCO: An Enhanced Multi-GPU Scheduling Framework for Many-Body Correlation Functions

Calculation of many-body correlation functions is one of the critical kernels utilized in many scientific computing areas, especially in Lattice Quantum Chromodynamics (Lattice QCD). It is formalized as a sum of a large number of contraction terms each of which can be represented by a graph consisting of vertices describing quarks inside a hadron node and edges designating quark propagations at specific time intervals. Due to its computation- and memory-intensive nature, real-world physics systems (e.g., multi-meson or multi-baryon systems) explored by Lattice QCD prefer to leverage multi-GPUs. Different from general graph processing, many-body correlation function calculations show two specific features: a large number of computation-/data-intensive kernels and frequently repeated appearances of original and intermediate data. The former results in expensive memory operations such as tensor movements and evictions. The latter offers data reuse opportunities to mitigate the data-intensive nature of many-body correlation function calculations. However, existing graph-based multi-GPU schedulers cannot capture these data-centric features, thus resulting in a sub-optimal performance for many-body correlation function calculations. To address this issue, this paper presents a multi-GPU scheduling framework, MICCO, to accelerate contractions for correlation functions particularly by taking the data dimension (e.g., data reuse and data eviction) into account. This work first performs a comprehensive study on the interplay of data reuse and load balance, and designs two new concepts: local reuse pattern and reuse bound to study the opportunity of achieving the optimal trade-off between them. Based on this study, MICCO proposes a heuristic scheduling algorithm and a machine-learning-based regression model to generate the optimal setting of reuse bounds. Specifically, MICCO is integrated into a real-world Lattice QCD system, Redstar, for the first time running on multiple GPUs. The evaluation demonstrates MICCO outperforms other state-of-art works, achieving up to 2.25× speedup in synthesized datasets, and 1.49× speedup in real-world correlation functions.

Wang, Qihan↗
DOE OSTI2023

Tomography of ultrarelativistic nuclei with polarized photon-gluon collisions

A linearly polarized photon can be quantized from the Lorentz-boosted electromagnetic field of a nucleus traveling at ultrarelativistic speed. When two relativistic heavy nuclei pass one another at a distance of a few nuclear radii, the photon from one nucleus may interact through a virtual quark-antiquark pair with gluons from the other nucleus, forming a short-lived vector meson (e.g., ρ 0 ). In this experiment, the polarization was used in diffractive photoproduction to observe a unique spin interference pattern in the angular distribution of ρ 0 → π + π – decays. The observed interference is a result of an overlap of two wave functions at a distance an order of magnitude larger than the ρ0 travel distance within its lifetime. The strong-interaction nuclear radii were extracted from these diffractive interactions and found to be 6.53 ± 0.06 fm ( 197 Au) and 7.29 ± 0.08 fm ( 238 U), larger than the nuclear charge radii. The observable is demonstrated to be sensitive to the nuclear geometry and quantum interference of nonidentical particles.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2021

$J/\psi $-p scattering length from the total and differential photoproduction cross sections

The J/ψ-p scattering length, αJ/ψp, can be extracted from the J/ψ photoproduction cross section near threshold using the Vector Meson Dominance (VMD) model to relate the reaction γp→J/ψp to J/ψp→J/ψp. Such estimates based on experimental data result in values for |αJ/ψp|, which are much lower than most of the theoretical predictions. In this work, we study the relations between the different results, depending on the use of the total or the differential cross sections, and the method of extrapolating the data to threshold in the case of a low-statistics data sample, such as the near threshold J/ψ photoproduction dataset. We estimate a range for |αJ/ψp| of 0.003–0.025 fm as extracted from experimental data within the VMD model and discuss possible reasons for such lower values compared to the theoretical results.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Dynamics of quarks and gauge fields in the lowest-energy states in QED and QCD interactions

We examine the dynamics of quarks and gauge fields in the lowest energy states in the QED and QCD interactions by combining Schwinger’s longitudinal confinement in (1+1)D with Polyakov’s transverse confinement in (2+1)D in a “stretch (2+1)D” flux tube model in (3+1)D. For such QED and QCD systems in the flux tube configuration with cylindrical symmetry, we separate out the transverse and longitudinal degrees of freedom, approximate the non-Abelian QCD in the quasi-Abelian approximation, and solve the derived equations to study the collective excitations. Here, we find stable collective QED and QCD excitations showing up as confined QED and QCD mesons, in support of previous theoretical studies and recent observations of the anomalous hypothetical X17 and E38 particles. Future theoretical lattice gauge calculations of QED in (3+1)D with the inclusion of the Schwinger longitudinal confinement mechanism and experimental confirmation of the hypothetical X17 and E38 particles will shed definitive light on quark confinement in the QED interaction in (3+1)D.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Inclusion of $K\Lambda $ electroproduction data in a coupled channel analysis

Exclusive electroproduction reactions provide an access to the structure of excited baryons. To extract electroproduction multipoles encoding this information, the Julich-Bonn-Washington (JBW) analysis framework is extended to the analysis of differential cross sections in KΛ electroproduction. Here this update enlarges the scope of previous coupled-channel analyses of pions and eta mesons, with photoproduction reactions as boundary condition in all analyzed electroproduction reactions. Polarization observables are predicted and compared to recent CLAS data. The comparison shows the relevance of these data to pin down baryon properties.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Pion electroproduction measurements in the nucleon resonance region

Here, we report new pion electroproduction measurements in the $\Delta (1232)$ resonance, utilizing the SHMS - HMS magnetic spectrometers of Hall C at Jefferson Lab. The data focus on a region that exhibits a strong and rapidly changing interplay of the mesonic cloud and quark-gluon dynamics in the nucleon. The results are in reasonable agreement with models that employ pion cloud effects and chiral effective field theory calculations, but at the same time they suggest that an improvement is required to the theoretical calculations and provide valuable input that will allow their refinements. The data illustrate the potential of the magnetic spectrometers setup in Hall C towards the study the $\Delta (1232)$ resonance. These first reported results will be followed by a series of measurements in Hall C, that will expand the studies of the $\Delta (1232)$ resonance offering a high precision insight within a wide kinematic range from low to high momentum transfers.

13.60.Fz Transition Form Factors↗
DOE OSTI2024

Lifetimes of excited states in $^{16}$C as a benchmark for ab initio developments

Lifetimes of higher-lying states ($2_2^+$ and $4_1^+$) in 16 C have been measured, employing the Gammasphere and Microball detector arrays, as key observables to test and refine ab initio calculations based on interactions developed within chiral Effective Field Theory. The presented experimental constraints to these lifetimes of $\tau ({2_2^+}) = [244, 446]\,~\textrm{fs}$ and $\tau ({4_1^+}) = [1.8, 4]\,~\textrm{ps}$, combined with previous results on the lifetime of the $2_1^+$ state of 16 C, provide a rather complete set of key observables to benchmark the theoretical developments. We present No-Core Shell-Model calculations using state-of-the-art chiral 2- (NN) and 3-nucleon (3N) interactions at next-to-next-to-next-to-leading order for both the NN and the 3N contributions and a generalized natural-orbital basis (instead of the conventional harmonic-oscillator single-particle basis) which reproduce, for the first time, the experimental findings remarkably well. The level of agreement of the new calculations as compared to the CD-Bonn meson-exchange NN interaction is notable and presents a critical benchmark for theory.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Exploring baryon resonances with transition generalized parton distributions: status and perspectives

QCD gives rise to a rich spectrum of excited baryon states. Understanding their internal structure is important for many areas of nuclear physics, such as nuclear forces, dense matter, and neutrino-nucleus interactions. Generalized parton distributions (GPDs) are an established tool for characterizing the QCD structure of the ground-state nucleon. They are used to create 3D tomographic images of the quark/gluon structure and quantify the mechanical properties such as the distribution of mass, angular momentum, and forces in the system. Transition GPDs extend these concepts to N → N* transitions and can be used to characterize the 3D structure and mechanical properties of baryon resonances. They can be probed in high-momentum-transfer exclusive electroproduction processes with resonance transitions e + N → e' + M + N*, such as deeply-virtual Compton scattering (M = γ) or meson production (M = π, K, etc.), and in related photon/hadron-induced processes. This White Paper describes a research program aiming to explore baryon resonance structure with transition GPDs. This includes the properties and interpretation of the transition GPDs, theoretical methods for structures and processes, first experimental results from JLab 12 GeV, future measurements with existing and planned facilities (JLab detector and energy upgrades, COMPASS/AMBER, EIC, EicC, J-PARC, LHC ultraperipheral collisions), and the theoretical and experimental developments needed to realize this program.

Experimental Nuclear Physics↗