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At least 127 records · Page 7

Distinguishing Quarks and Gluons in Pion and Kaon PDFs

The leading-twist parton distribution functions of the pion and kwon are calculated for the first time using a rainbow-ladder truncation of QCD's Dyson-Schwinger equations (DSEs) that self-consistently sums all planar diagrams. The nonperturbative gluon dressing of the quarks is thereby correctly accounted for, which in practice means solving the inhomogeneous Bethe-Salpeter equation (BSE) for the quark operator that defines the spin-independent quark distribution functions. An immediate consequence of using this dressed vertex is that gluons carry 35% of the pion's and 30% of the kaon's light-cone momentum, with the remaining momentum carried by the quarks. The scale associated with these DSE results is μ 0 = 0.78 GeV. The gluon effects generated by the inhomogeneous BSE are inherently nonperturbative and cannot be mimicked by the perturbative QCD evolution equations. A key consequence of this gluon dressing is that the valence quarks have reduced support at low-to-intermediate x, where the gluons dominate, and increased support at large x. As a result, our DSE calculation of the pion's valence quark distribution is in excellent agreement with the Conway et al. pion-induced Drell-Yan data, but nevertheless exhibits the q π (x) similar or equal to (1 - x) 2 behavior as x -> 1 predicted by perturbative QCD.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Attractive Effect of a Strong Electronic Repulsion: The Physics of Vertex Divergences

While the breakdown of the perturbation expansion for the many-electron problem has several formal consequences, here we unveil its physical effect: flipping the sign of the effective electronic interaction in specific scattering channels. By decomposing local and uniform susceptibilities of the Hubbard model via their spectral representations, we prove how entering the nonperturbative regime causes an enhancement of the charge response, ultimately responsible for the phase-separation instabilities close to the Mott metal-insulator transition. Furthermore, our analysis opens a new route for understanding phase transitions in the nonperturbative regime and clarifies why attractive effects emerging from a strong repulsion can induce phase separations but not s-wave pairing or charge-density wave instabilities.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Variational Monte Carlo Calculations of A ≤ 4 Nuclei with an Artificial Neural-Network Correlator Ansatz

Here, the complexity of many-body quantum wave functions is a central aspect of several fields of physics and chemistry where nonperturbative interactions are prominent. Artificial neural networks (ANNs) have proven to be a flexible tool to approximate quantum many-body states in condensed matter and chemistry problems. In this work we introduce a neural-network quantum state ansatz to model the ground-state wave function of light nuclei, and approximately solve the nuclear many-body Schrodinger equation. Using efficient stochastic sampling and optimization schemes, our approach extends pioneering applications of ANNs in the field, which present exponentially scaling algorithmic complexity. We compute the binding energies and point-nucleon densities of A ≤ 4 nuclei as emerging from a leading-order pionless effective field theory Hamiltonian. We successfully benchmark the ANN wave function against more conventional parametrizations based on two- and three-body Jastrow functions, and virtually exact Green's function Monte Carlo results.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

QCD Constraints on Isospin-Dense Matter and the Nuclear Equation of State

Understanding the behavior of dense hadronic matter is a central goal in nuclear physics as it governs the nature and dynamics of astrophysical objects such as supernovae and neutron stars. Because of the nonperturbative nature of quantum chromodynamics (QCD), little is known rigorously about hadronic matter in these extreme conditions. Here, lattice QCD calculations are used to compute thermodynamic quantities and the equation of state of QCD over a wide range of isospin chemical potentials with controlled systematic uncertainties. Agreement is seen with chiral perturbation theory when the chemical potential is small. Comparison to perturbative QCD at large chemical potential allows for an estimate of the gap in the superconducting phase, and this quantity is seen to agree with perturbative determinations. Since the partition function for an isospin chemical potential μ I bounds the partition function for a baryon chemical potential μ B = 3 μ I / 2 , these calculations also provide rigorous nonperturbative QCD bounds on the symmetric nuclear matter equation of state over a wide range of baryon densities for the first time. Published by the American Physical Society 2025

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Lattice QCD Benchmark of Proton Helicity and Flavor-Dependent Unpolarized Transverse Momentum-Dependent Parton Distribution Functions at Physical Quark Masses

We present the first lattice QCD calculations of the isovector helicity transverse momentum-dependent parton distribution function (TMDPDF) and the flavor-dependent unpolarized TMDPDFs for up and down quarks in the proton. Our computations utilize domain-wall fermion discretization with physical quark masses. Employing Coulomb-gauge-fixed quark correlation functions within the large-momentum effective theory framework, we access nonperturbative transverse quark separations 𝑏 𝑇 up to approximately 1 fm, corresponding to transverse momenta as low as 200 MeV. Based on the quasi-TMD factorization theorem, we construct renormalization-group–invariant ratios that are equal to the corresponding light-cone TMDPDF ratios. At moderate 𝑥, our results reveal that the isovector helicity and unpolarized TMDPDFs exhibit nearly identical transverse structure up to a normalization factor, and the unpolarized distributions display only mild flavor dependence. These findings not only support key trends observed in recent global analyses but also provide robust, nonperturbative constraints that can distinguish between different parameterizations. This Letter establishes a first-principles benchmark for TMDPDFs, offering valuable input for ongoing and future experimental efforts to map the proton’s three-dimensional structure.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Moments of parton distribution functions of the pion from lattice QCD using gradient flow

We present a nonperturbative determination of the pion valence parton distribution function (PDF) moment ratios ⟨𝑥 𝑛−1 ⟩/⟨𝑥⟩ up to 𝑛 = 6, using the gradient flow in lattice quantum chromodynamics (QCD). As a testing ground, we employ SU(3) isosymmetric gauge configurations generated by the OpenLat initiative with a pseudoscalar mass of 𝑚 𝜋 ≃ 411 MeV. Our analysis uses four lattice spacings and a nonperturbatively improved action, enabling full control over the continuum extrapolation, and the limit of vanishing flow time, 𝑡 →0. The flowed ratios exhibit O(𝑎 2 ) scaling across the ensembles, and the continuum-extrapolated results, matched to the $\overline{MS}$ scheme at 𝜇 = 2 GeV using next-to-next-to-leading order matching coefficients, show only mild residual flow-time dependence. The resulting ratios, computed with a relatively small number of configurations, are consistent with phenomenological expectations for the pion’s valence distribution, with statistical uncertainties that are competitive with modern global fits. These findings demonstrate that the gradient flow provides an efficient and systematically improvable method to access partonic quantities from first principles. Future extensions of this work will target lighter pion masses toward the physical point, and applications to nucleon structure such as the proton PDFs and the gluon and sea-quark distributions.

lattice QCD↗

Measurement of Two-Point Energy Correlators within Jets in 𝑝 + 𝑝 Collisions at $\sqrt{𝑠}$ = 200 GeV

Hard-scattered partons ejected from high-energy proton-proton collisions undergo parton shower and hadronization, resulting in collimated collections of particles that are clustered into jets. A substructure observable that highlights the transition between the perturbative and nonperturbative regimes of jet evolution in terms of the angle between two particles is the two-point energy correlator (EEC). In this Letter, the first measurement of the EEC at RHIC is presented, using data taken from 200 GeV 𝑝 + 𝑝 collisions by the STAR experiment. The EEC is measured both for all the pairs of particles in jets and separately for pairs with like and opposite electric charges. These measurements demonstrate that the transition between perturbative and nonperturbative effects occurs within an angular region that is consistent with expectations of a universal hadronization regime that scales with jet momentum for a given initiator flavor. Additionally, a deviation from Monte Carlo predictions at small angles in the charge-selected sample could result from mechanics of hadronization not fully captured by current models.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Extracting the Pion Distribution Amplitude from Lattice QCD through Pseudo-Distributions

The Light-Cone Distribution Amplitude (LCDA) encodes the non-perturbative information of the leading Fock component of the hadron wave function, therefore required for processes including exclusive hadron production. As the Pseudo-Nambu-Goldstone boson of QCD, the nonperturbative structure of the pion is of particular interest. Progress on the Lattice QCD calculation of the pion LCDA on O(a) -improved Wilson fermion ensembles at several lattice spacings is presented. Excited-state systematics are taken into account within a Bayesian Model Averaging framework. A Renormalization-Group-Invariant (RGI) ratio of matrix elements is formed for further extraction of the pion LCDA.

Kovner, Daniel↗

TMD phenomenology with the HSO approach

Transverse momentum dependent (TMD) observables are typically classified in terms of their contributions coming from different regions in transverse momentum. The low transverse momentum behavior is often ascribed to intrinsic nonperturbative properties of the hadron described by TMD factorization, while the large transverse momentum region can be computed using fixed order collinear perturbation theory. Combining both pictures in a consistent way presents challenges, for practical calculations as well as the interpretation of results. We discuss a recent approach that is designed to retain a physical interpretation in terms of hadron structure while alleviating tension with techniques used at much higher energies. The approach is organized to allow for convenient nonperturbative model building in a way that incorporates both perturbative and non perturbative contributions in the parametrization of TMD densities while guaranteeing the matching in the large transverse momentum region.

Rainaldi, Tommaso↗

Comments on Brane Recombination, Finite Flux Vacua, and the Swampland

The Swampland program relies heavily on the conjecture that there can only be a finite number of flux vacua (FFV conjecture). Stipulating this FFV conjecture and applying it to some older work in flux vacua construction, we show that within a patch of the landscape the FFV conjecture makes predictions on the nonexistence of otherwise viable nonperturbative objects arising from brane recombination. Future gains in the direct nonperturbative analysis could, therefore, not only test this prediction but also test portions of the Swampland program itself. We also discuss implications of a weaker FFV conjecture on the counting of flux vacua which predicts the positivity of the brane central charge if the EFT analysis is to be qualitatively trusted.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

TMD Handbook

This handbook provides a comprehensive review of transverse-momentum-dependent parton distribution functions and fragmentation functions, commonly referred to as transverse momentum distributions (TMDs). TMDs describe the distribution of partons inside the proton and other hadrons with respect to both their longitudinal and transverse momenta. They provide unique insight into the internal momentum and spin structure of hadrons, and are a key ingredient in the description of many collider physics cross sections. Understanding TMDs requires a combination of theoretical techniques from quantum field theory, nonperturbative calculations using lattice QCD, and phenomenological analysis of experimental data. The handbook covers a wide range of topics, from theoretical foundations to experimental analyses, as well as recent developments and future directions. It is intended to provide an essential reference for researchers and graduate students interested in understanding the structure of hadrons and the dynamics of partons in high energy collisions.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Renormalons in the energy-energy correlator

The energy-energy correlator (EEC) is an observable of wide interest for collider physics and Standard Model measurements, due to both its simple theoretical description in terms of the energy-momentum tensor and its novel features for experimental studies. Significant progress has been made in both applications and higher-order perturbative predictions for the EEC. Here, we analyze the nature of the asymptotic perturbative series for the EEC by determining its analytic form in Borel space under the bubble-sum approximation. This result provides information on the leading and subleading nonperturbative power corrections through renormalon poles. We improve the perturbative convergence of the $\overline{MS}$ series for the EEC by removing its leading renormalon using an MSR scheme, which is independent of the bubble-sum approximation. Using the leading MSR scheme power correction determined by fits to thrust, we find good agreement with EEC OPAL data already at O(α$^{2}_{s}$).

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

On exact-WKB analysis, resurgent structure, and quantization conditions

There are two well-known approaches to studying nonperturbative aspects of quantum mechanical systems: saddle point analysis of the partition functions in Euclidean path integral formulation and the exact-WKB analysis based on the wave functions in the Schrödinger equation. In this work, based on the quantization conditions obtained from the exact-WKB method, we determine the relations between the two formalism and in particular show how the two Stokes phenomena are connected to each other: the Stokes phenomenon leading to the ambiguous contribution of different sectors of the path integral formulation corresponds to the change of the “topology” of the Stoke curves in the exact-WKB analysis. We also clarify the equivalence of different quantization conditions including Bohr-Sommerfeld, path integral and Gutzwiller’s ones. In particular, by reorganizing the exact quantization condition, we improve Gutzwiller’s analysis in a crucial way by bion contributions (incorporating complex periodic paths) and turn it into an exact result. Furthermore, we argue the novel meaning of quasi-moduli integral and provide a relation between the Maslov index and the intersection number of Lefschetz thimbles.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Massless and massive photons within basis light-front quantization

We compute the structure function, transverse momentum dependent parton distributions (TMDs), and generalized parton distributions (GPDs) for the photon from the light-front quantum electrodynamics (QED) Hamiltonian, determined for its constituent bare photon and electron-positron Fock components within the basis light-front quantization framework. While the structure function and GPDs align well with expectations, some oscillatory behavior in the TMDs emerges as a finite-basis artifact. We also compute the GPD and the corresponding structure function for the longitudinal polarization mode of the massive photon. We further study the photon mass dependence of the calculated observables. After performing nonperturbative renormalization, we obtain a good quality description of the perturbative QED properties of the photon, as well as good agreement with the experimental data for the massless photon’s structure function.

Ab initio calculations↗

Field-theoretic analysis of hadronization using soft drop jet mass

One of the greatest challenges in quantum chromodynamics is understanding the hadronization mechanism, which is also crucial for carrying out precision physics with jet substructure. In this paper, we bring together recent advancements in our understanding of nonperturbative structure of the soft drop jet mass based on field theory, with precise perturbative calculations at next-to-next-to-leading logarithmic accuracy of its multidifferential variants. This allows for a model-independent analysis of power corrections associated with hadronization in a systematic manner. We test and calibrate hadronization models and their interplay with parton showers by comparing our universality predictions with various event generators for quark and gluon initiated jets in both lepton-lepton and hadron-hadron collisions. Our findings reveal that hadronization models perform better for quark jets relative to gluon jets. Our results provide a valuable toolbox for precision studies with the soft drop jet mass and pave the way for future analyses using real-world collider data. The stringent constraints derived in our framework are useful for improving the modeling of hadronization and its interplay with parton showers in next-generation event generators.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Definition of fragmentation functions and the violation of sum rules

We point out a problem with the formulation and derivations of sum rules for quark fragmentation functions that impacts their validity in QCD, but which potentially points toward an improved understanding of final states in inclusive hard processes. Fragmentation functions give the distribution of final-state hadrons arising from a parton exiting a hard scattering, and the sum rules for momentum, electric charge, etc. express conservation of these quantities. The problem arises from a mismatch between the quark quantum numbers of the initial quark and the fact that all observed final-state hadrons are confined bound states with color zero. We point that, in a confining theory like QCD, the Wilson line in the operator definition of a fragmentation function entails that the final state in a fragmentation function includes a bound state in the external field generated by the Wilson line. We justify this with the aid of general features of string hadronization. The anomalous bound states are restricted to fractional momentum z = 0 . They tend to invalidate sum rules like the one for charge conservation when applied to the fragmentation functions inferred from experimental data but not the momentum sum rule. We propose to exploit our ideas in future studies as a way to relate the fragmentation functions extracted from inclusive cross sections to more detailed nonperturbative descriptions of final state hadronization. We also describe scenarios wherein the traditional sum rules might remain approximately valid with a reasonably high degree of accuracy. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Polarized TMD fragmentation functions for 𝐽/𝜓 production

We calculate the matching, at leading order, of the transverse momentum-dependent fragmentation functions (TMDFFs) for light quarks and gluons fragmenting to a 𝐽/𝜓 onto polarized nonrelativistic QCD (NRQCD) TMDFFs. The NRQCD TMDFFs have an operator product expansion in terms of nonperturbative NRQCD production matrix elements. Using the results we obtain, we make predictions for the light quark fragmentation contribution to the production of polarized 𝐽/𝜓 in semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering (SIDIS) both for unpolarized and longitudinally polarized beams. These results are an important contribution to polarized 𝐽/𝜓 production in SIDIS and thus are needed for comparison with experiments at the future Electron-Ion Collider.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Universal Location of the Yang-Lee Edge Singularity in O( N ) Theories

We determine a previously unknown universal quantity, the location of the Yang-Lee edge singularity for the O(N) theories in a wide range of N and various dimensions. At large N, we reproduce the N→∞ analytical result on the location of the singularity and, additionally, we obtain the mean-field result for the location in d=4 dimensions. In order to capture the nonperturbative physics for arbitrary N, d and complex-valued external fields, we use the functional renormalization group approach.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗