A first determination of the strong-phase difference between <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msup><mi>D</mi><mn>0</mn></msup></math> and <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><mover accent="true"><mrow><msup><mrow><mi>D</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>0</mn></mrow></msup></mrow><mrow><mo stretchy="false">¯</mo></mrow></mover><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><msup><mrow><mi>K</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>+</mo></mrow></msup><msup><mrow><mi>K</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo></mrow></msup><msup><mrow><mi>π</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>+</mo></mrow></msup><msup><mrow><mi>π</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo></mrow></msup></mrow></math> is performed using <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msup><mi>e</mi><mo>+</mo></msup><msup><mi>e</mi><mo>−</mo></msup><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><mi>ψ</mi><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><mn>3770</mn><mo stretchy="false">)</mo><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><mi>D</mi><mover accent="true"><mi>D</mi><mo stretchy="false">¯</mo></mover></math> data collected by the BESIII detector corresponding to an integrated luminosity of <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mn>20.3</mn><mtext> </mtext><mtext> </mtext><msup><mi>fb</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow></msup></math>. The measurements are made in four pairs of bins in phase space, which are chosen to provide optimal sensitivity to the angle <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>γ</mi></math> of the unitarity triangle in <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msup><mi>B</mi><mo>±</mo></msup><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><mi>D</mi><msup><mi>K</mi><mo>±</mo></msup></math> decays. From these measurements, it follows that the <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>C</mi><mi>P</mi></math>-even fraction of the decay is <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msub><mi>F</mi><mo>+</mo></msub><mo>=</mo><mn>0.754</mn><mo>±</mo><mn>0.01</mn><msub><mn>0</mn><mrow><mi>stat</mi></mrow></msub><mo>±</mo><mspace linebreak="goodbreak"></mspace><mn>0.00</mn><msub><mn>8</mn><mrow><mi>syst</mi></mrow></msub></math>. In addition, the branching fraction of <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msup><mi>D</mi><mn>0</mn></msup><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><msup><mi>K</mi><mo>+</mo></msup><msup><mi>K</mi><mo>−</mo></msup><msup><mi>π</mi><mo>+</mo></msup><msup><mi>π</mi><mo>−</mo></msup></math> is measured to be <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><mn>2.863</mn><mo>±</mo><mspace linebreak="goodbreak"></mspace><mn>0.02</mn><msub><mn>8</mn><mrow><mi>stat</mi></mrow></msub><mo>±</mo><mn>0.04</mn><msub><mn>5</mn><mrow><mi>syst</mi></mrow></msub><mo stretchy="false">)</mo><mo>×</mo><msup><mn>10</mn><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>3</mn></mrow></msup></math>, which is twice as precise as previous results obtained at other experiments.

China

M. Ablikim

Russia

M.N. Achasov

Sweden

P. Adlarson

Germany

O. Afedulidis

X.C. Ai

R. Aliberti

Italy

A. Amoroso

Q. An

Y. Bai

JINR

O. Bakina

I. Balossino

Y. Ban

H.R. Bao

Poland

V. Batozskaya

Mongolia

K. Begzsuren

N. Berger

M. Berlowski

M. Bertani

D. Bettoni

F. Bianchi

E. Bianco

A. Bortone

I. Boyko

United States

R.A. Briere

A. Brueggemann

H. Cai

X. Cai

A. Calcaterra

G.F. Cao

N. Cao

Türkiye

S.A. Cetin

X.Y. Chai

J.F. Chang

G.R. Che

Y.Z. Che

G. Chelkov

C. Chen

C.H. Chen

Chao Chen

G. Chen

H.S. Chen

H.Y. Chen

M.L. Chen

S.J. Chen

S.L. Chen

S.M. Chen

T. Chen

X.R. Chen

X.T. Chen

Y.B. Chen

Y.Q. Chen

Z.J. Chen

Z.Y. Chen

South Korea

S.K. Choi

G. Cibinetto

F. Cossio

J.J. Cui

H.L. Dai

J.P. Dai

A. Dbeyssi

R.E. de Boer

D. Dedovich

C.Q. Deng

Z.Y. Deng

A. Denig

I. Denysenko

M. Destefanis

F. De Mori

B. Ding

X.X. Ding

Y. Ding

J. Dong

L.Y. Dong

M.Y. Dong

X. Dong

M.C. Du

S.X. Du

Y.Y. Duan

Z.H. Duan

P. Egorov

Y.H. Fan

J. Fang

S.S. Fang

W.X. Fang

Y. Fang

Y.Q. Fang

R. Farinelli

L. Fava

F. Feldbauer

G. Felici

C.Q. Feng

J.H. Feng

Y.T. Feng

M. Fritsch

C.D. Fu

J.L. Fu

Y.W. Fu

H. Gao

Measurement of the strong-phase difference between <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><msup><mrow><mi>D</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>0</mn></mrow></msup></mrow></math> and <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><mover accent="true"><mrow><msup><mrow><mi>D</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>0</mn></mrow></msup></mrow><mrow><mo stretchy="false">¯</mo></mrow></mover><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><msup><mrow><mi>K</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>+</mo></mrow></msup><msup><mrow><mi>K</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo></mrow></msup><msup><mrow><mi>π</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>+</mo></mrow></msup><msup><mrow><mi>π</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo></mrow></msup></mrow></math> in bins of phase space

The discovery of numerous new hadrons over the past two decades has provided unprecedented opportunities to understand the nonperturbative QCD and hadron structure. The hadronic molecule picture plays an important role in explaining these new hadrons and enriching the configurations of exotic hadronic states. In this Letter, using the model-independent <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>D</mi><mi>K</mi></math> potential extracted from the relevant experimental data, a <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msup><mi>J</mi><mrow><mi>P</mi><mi>C</mi></mrow></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mn>0</mn><mrow><mo>−</mo><mo>−</mo></mrow></msup></math> <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msub><mover accent="true"><mi>D</mi><mo stretchy="false">¯</mo></mover><mi>s</mi></msub><mi>D</mi><mi>K</mi></math> three-body hadronic molecule is predicted with a mass of <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><msubsup><mrow><mn>4310</mn></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>24</mn></mrow><mrow><mo>+</mo><mn>14</mn></mrow></msubsup><mtext> </mtext><mtext> </mtext><mi>MeV</mi></mrow></math>. This state shows decoupling to conventional <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>c</mi><mover accent="true"><mi>c</mi><mo stretchy="false">¯</mo></mover></math> charmonia or the <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msub><mover accent="true"><mi>D</mi><mo stretchy="false">¯</mo></mover><mi>s</mi></msub><msubsup><mi>D</mi><mrow><mi>s</mi><mn>0</mn></mrow><mo>*</mo></msubsup><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><mn>2317</mn><mo stretchy="false">)</mo></math> two-body molecular state. It can be regarded as a compelling three-body hadronic molecular candidate. We further demonstrate that the <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msup><mi>B</mi><mo>+</mo></msup><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><msup><mi>D</mi><mrow><mo>*</mo><mo>±</mo></mrow></msup><msup><mi>D</mi><mo>∓</mo></msup><msup><mi>K</mi><mo>+</mo></msup></math> decays could be promising channels for searching for the predicted state in future high-luminosity LHCb runs.

Tian-Wei Wu

Ming-Zhu Liu

Li-Sheng Geng

Implication of the Existence of <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><msup><mrow><mi>J</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>P</mi><mi>C</mi></mrow></msup><mo>=</mo><msup><mrow><mn>0</mn></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo><mo>−</mo></mrow></msup><mtext> </mtext><msub><mrow><mover accent="true"><mrow><mi>D</mi></mrow><mrow><mo stretchy="false">¯</mo></mrow></mover></mrow><mrow><mi>s</mi></mrow></msub><mi>D</mi><mi>K</mi></mrow></math> Bound State on the Nature of <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><msubsup><mrow><mi>D</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>s</mi><mn>0</mn></mrow><mrow><mo>*</mo></mrow></msubsup><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><mn>2317</mn><mo stretchy="false">)</mo></mrow></math>, and a New Configuration of Exotic State

In relativistic heavy-ion collisions, charged particles are accelerated to nearly the speed of light, and their external electromagnetic fields can be effectively approximated as quasireal photons. These photons interact with another nucleus via photon-nuclear interactions, producing vector mesons. These vector mesons possess extremely low transverse momentum (<math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mrow><msub><mi>p</mi><mi>T</mi></msub><mo>∼</mo><mn>0.1</mn><mspace width="0.16em"></mspace><mi>GeV</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>c</mi></mrow></math>), distinguishing them from particles produced via hadronic interactions. STAR and ALICE have observed <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mrow><mi>J</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>ψ</mi></mrow></math>, <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><msup><mi>ρ</mi><mn>0</mn></msup></math> and other vector mesons with very low <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><msub><mi>p</mi><mi>T</mi></msub></math>, which are well described by photoproduction models. This unique characteristic of having extremely low transverse momentum allows them to serve as a novel experimental probe. Recent STAR results show that the equivalent photons in photoproduction processes are fully linearly polarized, affecting the azimuthal distribution of final-state particles like <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mrow><msup><mi>ρ</mi><mn>0</mn></msup><mo>→</mo><msup><mi>π</mi><mo>+</mo></msup><msup><mi>π</mi><mo>−</mo></msup></mrow></math>. Since the polarization links to the initial collision geometry, the <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><msup><mi>ρ</mi><mn>0</mn></msup></math> azimuthal modulation can probe nuclear structure. However, the post-collision magnetic field may deflect these particles, distorting the azimuthal distribution and complicating structure measurements. We simulated the distribution of residual magnetic fields over time under different collision conditions using ultrarelativistic quantum molecular dynamics for <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mrow><mi>Au</mi><mo>+</mo><mi>Au</mi></mrow></math> collisions at <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mrow><msqrt><msub><mi>s</mi><mi>NN</mi></msub></msqrt><mo>=</mo><mn>200</mn></mrow></math> GeV and calculated their effects on the azimuthal modulation (<math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mrow><mo>〈</mo><mo form="prefix">cos</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>ϕ</mi><mo>〉</mo></mrow></math>) of photoproduced <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><msup><mi>ρ</mi><mn>0</mn></msup></math>. Our results show that in peripheral collisions, the field significantly alters the <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mrow><mo>〈</mo><mo form="prefix">cos</mo><mn>2</mn><mi>ϕ</mi><mo>〉</mo></mrow></math> for photoproduced <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><msup><mi>ρ</mi><mn>0</mn></msup></math> with <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mrow><msub><mi>p</mi><mi>T</mi></msub><mo>≈</mo><mspace width="0.16em"></mspace><mn>0.1</mn></mrow></math> <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><mrow><mi>GeV</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>c</mi></mrow></math>. This provides key insights for future nuclear structure studies via photoproduction in peripheral collisions.

Zhan Zhang

Xin Wu

Xinbai Li

Wangmei Zha

Zebo Tang

Influence of the residual magnetic field on the azimuthal distribution of final-state particles in photonuclear processes

The origin of neutrino masses remains unknown to date. One popular idea involves interactions between neutrinos and ultralight dark matter, described as fields or particles with masses <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msub><mi>m</mi><mi>ϕ</mi></msub><mo>≪</mo><mn>10</mn><mtext> </mtext><mtext> </mtext><mi>eV</mi></math>. Due to the large phase-space number density, this type of dark matter exists in coherent states and can be effectively described by an oscillating classical field. As a result, neutrino mass-squared differences undergo field-induced interference in spacetime, potentially generating detectable effects in oscillation experiments. We demonstrate that if <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>m</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>ϕ</mi></mrow></msub><mo>≫</mo><msup><mrow><mn>10</mn></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>14</mn></mrow></msup><mtext> </mtext><mtext> </mtext><mi>eV</mi></mrow></math>, the mechanism becomes sensitive to dark matter density fluctuations, which suppresses the oscillatory behavior of flavor-changing probabilities as a function of neutrino propagation distance in a model-independent way, thereby ruling out this regime. Furthermore, by analyzing data from the Kamioka Liquid Scintillator Antineutrino Detector (KamLAND), a benchmark long-baseline reactor experiment, we show that the hypothesis of a dark origin for the neutrino masses is disfavored for <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>m</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>ϕ</mi></mrow></msub><mo>≪</mo><msup><mrow><mn>10</mn></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>14</mn></mrow></msup><mtext> </mtext><mtext> </mtext><mi>eV</mi></mrow></math>, compared to the case of constant mass values in vacuum. This result holds at more than the <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><mn>4</mn><mi>σ</mi></mrow></math> level across different datasets and parameter choices. The mass range <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><msup><mrow><mn>10</mn></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>17</mn></mrow></msup><mtext> </mtext><mtext> </mtext><mi>eV</mi><mo>≲</mo><msub><mrow><mi>m</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>ϕ</mi></mrow></msub><mo>≲</mo><msup><mrow><mn>10</mn></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>14</mn></mrow></msup><mtext> </mtext><mtext> </mtext><mi>eV</mi></mrow></math> can be further tested in current and future oscillation experiments by searching for time variations (rather than periodicity) in oscillation parameters.

Andrew Cheek

Luca Visinelli

Hong-Yi Zhang

Testing the Dark Origin of Neutrino Masses with Oscillation Experiments

A measurement of the <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><mrow><mi>W</mi></mrow><mi>Z</mi><mi>γ</mi></mrow></math> triboson production cross section is presented. The analysis is based on a data sample of proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msqrt><mi>s</mi></msqrt><mo>=</mo><mn>13</mn><mtext> </mtext><mtext> </mtext><mi>TeV</mi></math> recorded with the CMS detector at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mn>138</mn><mtext> </mtext><mtext> </mtext><msup><mi>fb</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow></msup></math>. The analysis focuses on the final state with three charged leptons, <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><mrow><msup><mrow><mo>ℓ</mo></mrow><mrow><mo>±</mo></mrow></msup></mrow><mi>ν</mi><mrow><msup><mrow><mo>ℓ</mo></mrow><mrow><mo>+</mo></mrow></msup></mrow><mrow><msup><mrow><mo>ℓ</mo></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo></mrow></msup></mrow></mrow></math>, where <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mo>ℓ</mo><mo>=</mo><mi>e</mi></math> or <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><mi>μ</mi></mrow></math>, accompanied by an additional photon. The observed (expected) significance of the <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><mi>W</mi></mrow><mi>Z</mi><mrow><mi>γ</mi></mrow></math> signal is 5.4 (3.8) standard deviations. The cross section is measured in a fiducial region, where events with an ℓ originating from a tau lepton decay are excluded, to be <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mn>5.48</mn><mo>±</mo><mn>1.11</mn><mtext> </mtext><mtext> </mtext><mi>fb</mi></math>, which is compatible with the prediction of <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mn>3.69</mn><mo>±</mo><mn>0.24</mn><mtext> </mtext><mtext> </mtext><mi>fb</mi></math> at next-to-leading order in quantum chromodynamics. Exclusion limits are set on anomalous quartic gauge couplings and on the production cross sections of massive axionlike particles.

Armenia

V. Chekhovsky

A. Hayrapetyan

V. Makarenko

A. Tumasyan

Austria

W. Adam

J.W. Andrejkovic

L. Benato

T. Bergauer

S. Chatterjee

K. Damanakis

M. Dragicevic

P.S. Hussain

M. Jeitler

N. Krammer

A. Li

D. Liko

I. Mikulec

J. Schieck

R. Schöfbeck

D. Schwarz

M. Sonawane

W. Waltenberger

C.E. Wulz

Belgium

T. Janssen

H. Kwon

T. Van Laer

P. Van Mechelen

N. Breugelmans

J. D’Hondt

S. Dansana

A. De Moor

M. Delcourt

F. Heyen

Y. Hong

S. Lowette

I. Makarenko

D. Müller

S. Tavernier

M. Tytgat

G.P. Van Onsem

S. Van Putte

D. Vannerom

B. Bilin

B. Clerbaux

A.K. Das

I. De Bruyn

G. De Lentdecker

H. Evard

L. Favart

P. Gianneios

A. Khalilzadeh

F.A. Khan

A. Malara

M.A. Shahzad

L. Thomas

M. Vanden Bemden

C. Vander Velde

P. Vanlaer

M. De Coen

D. Dobur

G. Gokbulut

J. Knolle

L. Lambrecht

D. Marckx

K. Skovpen

N. Van Den Bossche

J. van der Linden

J. Vandenbroeck

L. Wezenbeek

Observation of <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>W</mi><mi>Z</mi><mi>γ</mi></math> production and constraints on new physics scenarios in proton-proton collisions at <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msqrt><mi>s</mi></msqrt><mo>=</mo><mn>13</mn><mtext> </mtext><mtext> </mtext><mi>TeV</mi></math>