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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2026

Observation of partonic flow in proton—proton and proton—nucleus collisions

Quantum Chromodynamics predicts a phase transition from hadronic matter to quark–gluon plasma (QGP) at high temperatures and energy densities, where quarks and gluons (partons) are no longer confined within hadrons. The QGP forms in ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions. Anisotropic flow coefficients, quantifying the azimuthal expansion of produced matter, probe QGP properties. Flow measurements in high-energy heavy-ion collisions show a distinctive grouping of anisotropic flow for baryons and mesons at intermediate transverse momentum – a feature associated with flow imparted at the quark level, confirming QGP existence. The observation of QGP-like features in proton–proton and proton–ion collisions has sparked debate about QGP formation in smaller systems. For the first time, we demonstrate the distinctive grouping of anisotropic flow for baryons and mesons in high-multiplicity proton–lead and proton–proton collisions at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). These results are described by a model including hydrodynamic flow followed by hadron formation via quark coalescence, consistent with the formation of partonic flowing systems in these collisions.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Femtoscopic study of the proton-proton and proton-deuteron systems in heavy-ion collisions at the LHC

This work reports femtoscopic correlations of p – – p ($\overline{p}$ – – $\overline{p}$) and p – – d ($\overline{p}$ – – $\overline{d}$) pairs measured in Pb–Pb collisions at center-of-mass energy per nucleon $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV in the ALICE Collaboration. A fit to the measured proton-proton correlation functions allows one to extract the dependence of the nucleon femtoscopic radius of the particle-emitting source on the pair transverse mass (m T ) and on the average charge particle multiplicity $\langle$dN ch /dη$\rangle$ 1/3 for three centrality intervals (0–10%, 10 – – 30 %, 30 – – 50 %). In both cases, the expected power-law and linear scalings are observed, respectively. The measured p–d correlations can be described by both two- and three-body calculations, indicating that the femtoscopy observable is not sensitive to the short-distance features of the dynamics of the p-(p-n) system, due to the large inter-particle distances in Pb–Pb collisions at the LHC. Indeed, in this study, the minimum measured femtoscopic source sizes for protons and deuterons have a minimum value at 2.73$^{+0.05}_{–0.05}$ and 3.10$^{+1.04}_{–0.86}$ fm, respectively, for the 30–50% centrality collisions. Moreover, the m T -scaling obtained for the p–p and p–d systems is compatible within 1σ of the uncertainties. These findings provide new input for fundamental studies on the production of light (anti)nuclei under extreme conditions.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Addendum: Dielectron production in proton-proton and proton-lead collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV

This is an addendum to the article “Dielectron production in proton-proton and proton-lead collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV” published in [Phys. Rev. C 102, 055204 (2020)]. We update the extracted charm cross section at midrapidity given in Table III and Fig. 4 (left) of the original publication with the fragmentation fractions of charm quarks in 𝑝⁢𝑝 collisions published in [Phys. Rev. D 105, L011103 (2022)].

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Angular-spectral filtering of recoil protons for optimization of fast neutron imaging employing proton converters

Fast neutron imaging is an important capability for diverse applications such as inertial confinement fusion diagnostics, cargo security, nuclear nonproliferation and arms control, and industrial inspection. Traditional phosphor image plates can be enhanced for fast neutron imaging using hydrogenous plastic converters which allow fast neutrons to scatter off hydrogen nuclei to produce energetic protons that can be recorded by the image plate. However, protons emitted by image plates are not constrained in their emission angle, which contributes to the blur of the resulting image. Here, we investigate two methods that can alter the spatial extent of converted protons that deposit energy in the image plate: reducing the converter thickness, and introducing a proton filter between the plastic converter and image plate to reduce the contribution of lower-energy, off-axis protons to the image. Here we determine the optimal plastic converter thickness for maximizing the signal intensity to be 2–3 mm through Monte Carlo simulations, and we benchmark this result against experimental measurements with a deuterium-tritium (DT) neutron generator. Next, we evaluate the image smearing and signal loss for various converters to show that solely reducing the converter thickness has the expected effect of reducing the blur from proton image smearing of the sharpness of an edge recorded on the image plate at the cost of reducing the signal intensity. The use of a proton filter is shown to achieve a similar improvement of edge sharpness as reducing the converter thickness while also sacrificing the signal intensity. We conclude that the use of proton energy filtering can improve the sharpness of fast neutron images in situations where the converter thickness cannot be reduced below some practical minimum. For more intense neutron sources, the signal intensity is of less concern, and optimizing the resolution of the image plate and therefore of the imaging system could have greater value. In these applications, proton filters may allow for improved fast neutron imaging measurements.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2026

How Proton Incorporation Reshapes Lattice Dynamics In BaSnO 3 ‐Type Proton Conductors

Proton conduction in acceptor-doped perovskites is fundamentally a vibronic process: mobile H + and D + do not move independently, but dynamically co-vibrate with the surrounding oxygen–metal framework. Direct experimental evidence for this behavior is presented using in situ 119⁢ 𝑆⁢𝑛 nuclear resonance vibrational spectroscopy (NRVS) on hydrated, deuterated, and dry 𝐵⁢𝑎⁢𝑆⁢𝑛 1−𝑥⁢ 𝑌 𝑥 ⁢𝑂 3−𝛿 . Hydration induces systematic redistributions in the Sn-projected phonon density of states (PDOS), including an upshift of the first spectral moment by about 0.4 meV, indicating a stiffening of the extended Sn–O network. H/D isotopic substitution leaves the Sn-projected PDOS largely unchanged, with only subtle isotope-dependent spectral reweighting, demonstrating that protonic degrees of freedom are not localized oscillators but are embedded in collective lattice modes. These results are rationalized using a classical coupled proton–phonon oscillator model that links the observed PDOS variations to changes in effective force constants and vibrational mass terms. The model captures how H + and D + participate in cooperative lattice dynamics rather than forming isolated OH/OD entities. Overall, NRVS probes proton–lattice coupling in ceramic proton conductors and quantitatively describes how protonic defects modulate host lattice dynamics to enable phonon-assisted long-range proton transport.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Challenges and Optimization of Mu2e Proton Target Design with Radiative Cooling

Mu2e, the Muon-to-Electron Conversion Experiment, aims to identify physics beyond the Standard Model, namely, the conversion of muons to electrons without the emission of neutrinos. The muons are produced from pions generated in a production target when it is hit by an 8 GeV proton beam from the Fermilab Booster/Main Injector. The proton target design space is strongly constrained by a one-year operating lifetime and the need for radiative cooling in a vacuum environment. Uncertainties in the lifetime of the existing baseline design – a monolithic, segmented tungsten target – are large, particularly due to unknown impacts of radiation damage at the very high proton fluences expected in the experiment. We have begun evaluation of a new design utilizing Inconel 718 over the WL10 used in the existing target design. As a result, the structural design of the target has evolved significantly. This evolution focuses on lowering the target temperature, minimizing obstruction to muons, increasing structural stability, maximizing fatigue lifetime, simplifying the fabrication process, and more. The thermal management, structural stability and fatigue lifetime are emphasized here. These optimizations have led to a promising new target design for the Mu2e experiment.

Liu, Z. [Fermilab]↗
DOE OSTI2026

Size-dependent femtosecond proton transfer in protonated methanol clusters

Methanol clusters (CH 3 OH) n are prototypical hydrogen-bonded systems that bridge isolated molecules and bulk liquid methanol. Strong-field ionization of these clusters can trigger ultrafast charge migration, proton transfer, and isomerization; however, the onset timescales of these pathways remain largely unexplored despite extensive steady-state mass-spectrometric evidence for protonation and chemical rearrangement. Here we use femtosecond time-resolved strong-field ionization and disruptive probing to directly track the early-time dynamics of methanol clusters. Transient mass spectra yield size-dependent timescales for the formation of protonated clusters H + (CH 3 OH) n (n = 1–3) and an associated CHO˙ + radical cation. We find that both proton-transfer and subsequent stabilization become markedly faster with increasing cluster size. These measurements establish methanol clusters as a complementary benchmark to water for understanding ionization-initiated proton motion and chemical reorganization in hydrogen-bonded liquids.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2025

Search for long-lived heavy neutral leptons in proton-proton collision events with a lepton-jet pair associated with a secondary vertex at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV

A search for long-lived heavy neutral leptons (HNLs) using proton-proton collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb −1 collected at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV with the CMS detector at the CERN LHC is presented. Events are selected with a charged lepton originating from the primary vertex associated with the proton-proton interaction, as well as a second charged lepton and a hadronic jet associated with a secondary vertex that corresponds to the semileptonic decay of a long-lived HNL. No excess of events above the standard model expectation is observed. Exclusion limits at 95% confidence level are evaluated for HNLs that mix with electron and/or muon neutrinos. Limits are presented in the mass range of 1–16.5 GeV, with excluded square mixing parameter values reaching as low as 2 × 10 −7 . For masses above 11 GeV, the presented limits exceed all previous results in the semileptonic decay channel, and for some of the considered scenarios are the strongest to date.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Search for the pair production of long-lived supersymmetric partners of the tau lepton in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV

Gauge-mediated supersymmetry-breaking models provide a strong motivation to search for a supersymmetric partner of the tau lepton (stau) with a macroscopic lifetime. Long-lived stau decays produce tau leptons that are displaced from the primary proton-proton interaction vertex, leading to an unconventional signature. This paper presents a search for the direct production of long-lived staus decaying within the CMS tracker volume in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV, performed for the first time with an identification algorithm based on a graph neural network dedicated to displaced tau leptons. The data sample, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb −1 , was recorded with the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC between 2016 and 2018. This search excludes, at 95% confidence level, stau masses, m~ τ , in the 126–260 (90–425) GeV range for a proper decay length of 50 mm in the maximally mixed (mass-degenerate) scenario, while for m~ τ = 200 GeV, stau proper decay lengths are excluded in the range 21–94 (6–333) mm. These results improve the exclusion limits compared to previous searches, and extend the parameter space explored in the context of supersymmetry.

Hadron-Hadron Scattering↗
DOE OSTI2024

Model-independent search for pair production of new bosons decaying into muons in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV

The results of a model-independent search for the pair production of new bosons within a mass range of 0.21 < m < 60 GeV, are presented. This study utilizes events with a four-muon final state. We use two data sets, comprising 41.5 fb −1 and 59.7 fb −1 of proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV, recorded in 2017 and 2018 by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC. The study of the 2018 data set includes a search for displaced signatures of a new boson within the proper decay length range of 0 < cτ < 100 mm. Our results are combined with a previous CMS result, based on 35.9 fb −1 of proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV collected in 2016. No significant deviation from the expected background is observed. Results are presented in terms of a model-independent upper limit on the product of cross section, branching fraction, and acceptance. The findings are interpreted across various benchmark models, such as an axion-like particle model, a vector portal model, the next-to-minimal supersymmetric standard model, and a dark supersymmetric scenario, including those predicting a non-negligible proper decay length of the new boson. In all considered scenarios, substantial portions of the parameter space are excluded, expanding upon prior results.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Measurement of inclusive and differential cross sections for W + W − production in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV

Measurements at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV of the opposite-sign W boson pair production cross section in proton-proton collisions are presented. The data used in this study were collected with the CMS detector at the CERN LHC in 2022, and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 34.8 fb -1 . Events are selected by requiring one electron and one muon of opposite charge. A maximum likelihood fit is performed on signal- and background-enriched data categories defined by the flavor and charge of the leptons, the number of jets, and number of jets originating from b quarks. The overall sensitivity is significantly better than that of previous results with a similar integrated luminosity. The improvement comes from a more refined control of experimental uncertainties and an improved fit strategy. An inclusive W + W - production cross section of 125.7 ± 5.6 pb is measured, in agreement with standard model predictions. Cross sections are also reported in a fiducial region close to that of the detector acceptance, both inclusively and differentially, as a function of the jet multiplicity in the event. For the first time in proton-proton collisions, WW events with zero, one, and at least two jets are studied simultaneously and compared with recent theoretical predictions.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Direct-photon production in inelastic and high-multiplicity proton–proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV

In this letter, we present the first measurement of direct photons at the transverse momentum of 1 < 𝑝 T < 6 GeV/𝑐 at midrapidity 𝜂 < 0.8 in inelastic and high-multiplicity proton–proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV. The fraction of virtual direct photons in the inclusive virtual photon spectrum is obtained from a fit to the dielectron invariant mass spectrum. In the limit of zero invariant mass, this fraction is equal to the relative contribution of real direct photons in the inclusive real photon spectrum. Contributions from decays of light- flavour neutral mesons are estimated using independent measurements in proton–proton collisions at the same energy and the same event class. For the first time at the LHC energies, a direct-photon signal is observed at low 𝑝T in both inelastic and high-multiplicity event classes, with a significance of 3.2𝜎 and 1.9𝜎 in terms of standard deviations, correspondingly. The yield of direct photons in inelastic pp collisions is compared to perturbative QCD calculations. The integrated photon yield is studied as a function of charged-particle multiplicity and is compared to the results from other experiments and theoretical calculations. The results show a significant increase of direct- photon yield with charged-particle multiplicity.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Measurement of 𝐵 meson production fraction ratios in proton-proton collisions at √𝑠 = 13 TeV using open-charm and charmonium decays

Production fraction ratios of 𝐵 + , 𝐵 0 , and 𝐵$^{0}_{𝑠}$ mesons are measured in proton-proton collisions at √𝑠 = 13 TeV using a special dataset recorded in 2018 with high-rate triggers designed to collect an unbiased sample of 1⁢010 𝑏 hadrons with the CMS experiment at the LHC. These data allow the study of the open-charm decays of 𝐵 mesons (𝐵 (𝑠) → 𝜋⁢𝐷 (𝑠) ) where the 𝐷 meson decays into fully hadronic final states. By utilizing known branching fractions and precise theoretical calculations, production fraction ratios as functions of 𝐵 meson transverse momentum (𝑝 T ) and rapidity (𝑦) are measured using open-charm decays in the kinematic range of 8 < 𝑝 T < 60 GeV and |𝑦| <2.25. In addition, the same dataset is used to measure the relative production fraction ratios with the charmonium decay channels [𝐵 (𝑠) →𝑋⁢𝐽/𝜓 with 𝑋 indicating a 𝐾 + , 𝐾*(892) 0 , or 𝜙⁡(1020) meson] where the 𝐽/𝜓 meson decays into a pair of muons. The open-charm results are used to normalize the relative production fraction ratios obtained from the charmonium samples. Measurements of the ratios of branching fractions of 𝐵 meson decays to charmonium and open-charm final states are also reported, which will improve the world-average values of these ratios. Finally, we test isospin invariance in 𝐵 meson production in proton-proton collisions and observe that it holds within the experimental precision.

Bottom mesons↗
DOE OSTI2025

Determination of proton and neutron contributions to the 0$^+_{𝑔⁡𝑠}$ → 2$^+_{1}$ excitations in 42 Si and 44 S using inelastic proton scattering in inverse kinematics and intermediate-energy Coulomb excitation

Here, we have measured the 0$^+_{𝑔⁡𝑠}$ → 2$^+_1$ transition in the neutron-rich 𝑁 = 28 isotope 42 Si using the probes of intermediate-energy Coulomb excitation and inelastic proton scattering in inverse kinematics at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams with beam particle rates of ≈ 5 particles/s. The results of these two measurements allowed us to determine 𝑀 𝑛 /𝑀 𝑝 , the ratio of the neutron and proton transition matrix elements for the 0$^+_{𝑔⁡𝑠}$ → 2$^+_1$ transition. In addition, we have measured the 0$^+_{𝑔⁡𝑠}$ → 2$^+_1$ transition in the isotone 44 S using inverse kinematics inelastic proton scattering. By comparing the 44 S proton-scattering result with a recent intermediate-energy Coulomb excitation result on the same transition, we were able to determine 𝑀 𝑛 /𝑀 𝑝 for the 0$^+_{𝑔⁡𝑠}$ → 2$^+_1$ transition in this nucleus as well. This work strengthens the evidence that 42 Si has a stable quadrupole deformation in its ground state and that 44 S does not. Both conclusions are further supported by shell-model calculations carried out with the FSU interaction.

39 ≤ A ≤ 58↗
DOE OSTI2025

First study of polarized proton-proton scattering with small-𝑥 helicity evolution

We perform a phenomenological study of helicity-dependent parton distribution functions (PDFs) using small-𝑥 helicity evolution equations, incorporating for the first time single-inclusive jet production data in polarized proton-proton (𝑝⁢𝑝) scattering at parton momentum fractions 𝑥 <0.1. We also simultaneously include double-longitudinal spin asymmetries in inclusive and semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering probing 𝑥 <0.1. Employing the polarized small-𝑥 pure-glue calculation of 𝑝⁢𝑝 → 𝑔⁡𝑋 for the jet production cross section, we modify the large-𝑁 𝑐 &𝑁 𝑓 KPS-CTT evolution equations by setting 𝑁 𝑓 = 0 to replicate the large-𝑁𝑐 (pure-glue) limit, while retaining external quark flavors for the spinor field operators. We find that the 𝑝⁢𝑝 data have a considerable impact on the helicity PDFs at small 𝑥, reducing their uncertainties and leading to a total quark and gluon helicity in the proton for 𝑥 < 0.1 of −0.04 ±0.23. Combining our analysis with a recent JAM helicity PDF analysis of the world polarized data, which includes 𝑥 > 0.1, we find a total quark and gluon helicity contribution for 𝑥 >10 −7 of between 0.02 and 0.51.

Adamiak, Daniel [Michigan State University] (ORCID↗
DOE OSTI2024

Measurement of the W-boson mass and width with the ATLAS detector using proton–proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=7$ TeV

Proton-proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS detector in 2011, at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV, have been used for an improved determination of the W-boson mass and a first measurement of the W-boson width at the LHC. Recent fits to the proton parton distribution functions are incorporated in the measurement procedure and an improved statistical method is used to increase the measurement precision. The measurement of the W-boson mass yields a value of m w = 80,366.5 ± 9.8 (stat.) ± 12.5 (syst.) MeV = 80,366.5 ± 15.9 MeV, and the width is measured as Γ w = 2202 ± 32 (stat.) ± 34 (syst.) MeV = 2202 ± 47 MeV. The first uncertainty components are statistical and the second correspond to the experimental and physics-modelling systematic uncertainties. Both results are consistent with the expectation from fits to electroweak precision data. The present measurement of m w is compatible with and supersedes the previous measurement performed using the same data.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Measurement of transverse polarization of Λ and hyperons inside jets in unpolarized proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 200 GeV

A surprisingly large transverse polarization of Λ hyperons in unpolarized hadron-nucleon/nucleus collisions has been observed for 50 years, and the origin of this polarization remains an important open question. Recently, theoretical frameworks have advanced in describing this puzzle with the polarizing fragmentation function (PFF). We report the first measurement of Λ and $\overline{Λ}$ transverse polarization inside jets in unpolarized proton-proton collisions, which is directly attributed to the PFF. The polarization is measured as a function of the jet transverse momentum, the fraction of the jet momentum carried by Λ ($\overline{Λ}$) hyperons, and the transverse momentum of Λ ($\overline{Λ}$) hyperons relative to the jet axis. Covering a wide jet-energy range, these data provide the first constraints on the gluon PFF and allow tests of TMD evolution and its universality.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Girth and groomed radius of jets recoiling against isolated photons in lead-lead and proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}} = 5.02$ TeV

This Letter presents the first measurements of the groomed jet radius R g and the jet girth g in events with an isolated photon recoiling against a jet in lead-lead (PbPb) and proton-proton (pp) collisions at the LHC at a nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass energy of 5.02 TeV. The observables R g and g provide a quantitative measure of how narrow or broad a jet is. The analysis uses PbPb and pp data samples with integrated luminosities of 1.7 nb -1 and 301 pb -1 , respectively, collected with the CMS experiment in 2018 and 2017. Events are required to have a photon with transverse momentum $p^{γ}_{T} > 100$ GeV and at least one jet back-to-back in azimuth with respect to the photon and with transverse momentum $p^{jet}_{T}$ such that $p^{jet}_{T}/p^{γ}_{T} > 0.4$ . The measured R g and g distributions are unfolded to the particle level, which facilitates the comparison between the PbPb and pp results and with theoretical predictions. It is found that jets with $p^{jet}_{T}/p^{γ}_{T} > 0.8$ , i.e., those that closely balance the photon $p^{γ}_{T}$ , are narrower in PbPb than in pp collisions. Relaxing the selection to include jets with $p^{jet}_{T}/p^{γ}_{T} > 0.4$ reduces the narrowing of the angular structure of jets in PbPb relative to the pp reference. This shows that selection bias effects associated with jet energy loss play an important role in the interpretation of jet substructure measurements.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗