We study the partition function associated with the democratic formulation of M-theory, focusing on its global definition and quantum properties. Using a path integral representation that makes manifest the underlying cohomological structure, we analyze the coupled system of M-theory form fields ($\textit{A}$ + $\textit{A}$ ), and the background fields ($\textit{C}$ + $\textit{C}$ ), as well as their associated global transformations. We show that the resulting description is naturally captured by a Heisenberg-type group reflecting the presence of a quadratic coupling between electric and magnetic degrees of freedom. This framework provides a transparent characterization of the global structure of the theory, clarifies the role of higher-form global symmetry, and allows for a consistent definition of the partition function in terms of higher-dimensional auxiliary manifolds.

Spain

South Korea

J. Rosabal

Holographic partition function of democratic M-theory

We study the equation of state (EoS) of QCD matter in a bottom-up holographic setup that combines an Einstein-Maxwell-dilaton (EMD) sector with an improved Karch-Katz-Son-Stephanov (KKSS) flavor action. In the probe approximation, we perform an inverse reconstruction of the model functions by parameterizing them with neural networks and solving the EMD equations via a differentiable ODE solver (a neural ODE framework), calibrating the model to a reference thermodynamic table for $(2+1)$ -flavor QCD at finite temperature and finite baryon chemical potential. The reconstructed model functions are then parameterized and kept fixed across thermodynamic states. Next, viewing the EMD sector as an effective description of pure Yang-Mills theory, we fix its parameters by fitting the $\mu_B=0$ lattice pure-glue EoS using a hybrid optimization strategy. Finally, we go beyond the probe limit and solve the coupled EMD+KKSS equations with back-reaction, using the pure-glue-calibrated EMD sector as a fixed input and varying the KKSS couplings to compare with the $\mu_B=0$ two-flavor lattice EoS. We find a visible mismatch and a high-temperature behavior in which the back-reacted dimensionless ratios approach a nearly $\beta_1$ -insensitive plateau close to the pure-glue baseline, providing a simple structural diagnostic for the present flavor-sector truncation.

China

Yutian Deng

Mei Huang

Lin Zhang

Holographic QCD equation of state constrained by lattice QCD: neural-ODE for probe-limit and a back-reaction test * Start-up funding from Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU) (Y. Deng and L. Zhang); National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) (12235016) (L. Zhang and M. Huang) and 12221005 (M. Huang)

We investigate the discovery prospects of a singly produced vector-like bottom quark within the Type-II Two-Higgs-Doublet Model extended by an <italic>SU</italic>(2) <inf><italic>L</italic></inf> vector-like ( <italic>T, B</italic>) doublet. Our analysis focuses on the non-standard decay chain <italic>B</italic>&#8239;&#8594;&#8239; <italic>&#981;b</italic>, where <math altimg='si33.svg'><mrow><mi>&#981;</mi><mo linebreak='goodbreak'>=</mo><mi>H</mi></mrow></math> or <italic>A</italic>, followed by <math altimg='si34.svg'><mrow><mi>&#981;</mi><mo>&#8594;</mo><mi>t</mi><mover accent='true'><mi>t</mi><mo>&#175;</mo></mover></mrow></math>, leading to a final state with one charged lepton, missing transverse energy, and multiple <italic>b</italic>-jets. We perform a full simulation of both signal and Standard Model backgrounds at <math altimg='si7.svg'><mrow><msqrt><mi>s</mi></msqrt><mo linebreak='goodbreak'>=</mo><mn>14</mn></mrow></math> TeV. Our results show that the exotic channels <italic>B</italic>&#8239;&#8594;&#8239; <italic>&#981;b</italic> can dominate over conventional decay modes, achieving branching ratios of order 50% for both neutral scalars in the alignment limit. A conventional cut-based analysis achieves a 5 <italic>&#963;</italic> discovery significance only under the ideal assumption of zero systematic uncertainty and requires an integrated luminosity of <math altimg='si35.svg'><mrow><mn>3</mn><mspace width='0.33em' /><msup><mrow><mtext>ab</mtext></mrow><mrow><mo>&#8722;</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow></msup></mrow></math>. By contrast, an XGBoost-based multivariate analysis substantially improves signal-background discrimination. Even in the presence of systematic uncertainties as large as 15%, the 5 <italic>&#963;</italic> discovery reach extends to <italic>m<inf>B</inf></italic>&#8239;&#8771;&#8239;1.1&#8201;TeV with <math altimg='si36.svg'><mrow><mn>600</mn><mspace width='0.33em' /><msup><mrow><mtext>fb</mtext></mrow><mrow><mo>&#8722;</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow></msup></mrow></math> and to <italic>m<inf>B</inf></italic>&#8239;&#8771;&#8239;1.4&#8201;TeV with <math altimg='si35.svg'><mrow><mn>3</mn><mspace width='0.33em' /><msup><mrow><mtext>ab</mtext></mrow><mrow><mo>&#8722;</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow></msup></mrow></math>.

Morocco

R. Benbrik

M. Berrouj

Poland

M. Boukidi

M. Ech-chaouy

K. Kahime

K. Salime

Probing heavy neutral Higgs bosons via single vector-like bottom quark production at the HL-LHC

AdS × S × S solutions warped over a Riemann surface, Σ, are indexed by a parameter, $\textit{γ}$, that defines the superconformal algebra, $\textit{D}$(2, 1; $\textit{γ}$) ⨁ $\textit{D}$(2, 1; $\textit{γ}$) they preserve. We show that these solutions come from multiple back-reacted M2-M5 spikes, and that different values of $\textit{γ}$ correspond to different scaling limits of the same M2-M5 solutions. We find that when $\textit{γ}$ switches from positive to negative, the infrared region of the AdS switches from the tip of spikes, far from the M5 branes, to the bottom of the spikes, far from the M2 branes. We also explain how the bubbling negative-$\textit{γ}$ solutions emerge from the geometric transition of multiple M2-M5 spikes.

France

Iosif Bena

Israel

Raphaël Dulac

Dimitrios Toulikas

United States

Nicholas Warner

Effervescent spikes in M-theory

We present constraints on the sum of neutrino masses ∑ <italic>m<inf>&#957;</inf></italic> from a dataset incorporating the full SPT-3G 2018 TT/TE/EE+lensing spectra together with Planck PR4 lensing and low-&#8467; parts of the Planck PR3 spectra. Using it together with the DESI DR2 BAO measurements, we arrive at a 95% upper limit of &#8721; <italic>m<inf>&#957;</inf></italic>&#8239;&lt;&#8239;0.11&#8201;eV, relaxing the tension between &#923;CDM and lower bounds on &#8721; <italic>m<inf>&#957;</inf></italic> based on neutrino oscillation experiments as compared to the <monospace>Planck+DESI</monospace> constraint. When including DES Y1 weak lensing information and the Pantheon+ SNIa catalog, the limit is further loosened to &#8721; <italic>m<inf>&#957;</inf></italic>&#8239;&lt;&#8239;0.138&#8201;eV with a slight preference for &#8721; <italic>m<inf>&#957;</inf></italic>&#8239;&gt;&#8239;0. By contrast, replacing SPT-3G 2018 primary CMB and lensing spectra with ones from the SPT-3G 2019-2020 (D1) release tightens the overall constraint to &#8239;&lt;&#8239;0.082&#8201;eV and pushes the &#8721; <italic>m<inf>&#957;</inf></italic> posterior mode value to zero, indicating a preference for quasi-negative neutrino masses in line with the D1 analysis. This is a curious shift within SPT-3G measurements of the same field taken in 2018 and in 2019-2020 and processed with different analysis pipelines.

Russia

Dmitry Gorbunov

Nikita Nedelko

Changing constraints on ∑ <italic>m<inf>&#957;</inf></italic> from SPT-3G 2018 to D1 in the context of DESI DR2

In this work, Static wormhole models are examined within the framework of curvature-based <math altimg='si17.svg'><mrow><mi mathvariant='italic'>f</mi><mo>(</mo><mi mathvariant='fraktur'>R</mi><mo>,</mo><msub><mi mathvariant='fraktur'>L</mi><mi mathvariant='fraktur'>m</mi></msub><mo>,</mo><mi mathvariant='italic'>T</mi><mo>)</mo></mrow></math> gravity theory. A relationship between the matter energy density and pressure is proposed for the Morris-Thorne wormhole geometry with a constant redshift function. By incorporating a gradient-dependent equation of state ( <math altimg='si18.svg'><mrow><msub><mi>P</mi><mi>r</mi></msub><mo linebreak='goodbreak'>=</mo><msub><mi>P</mi><mi>r</mi></msub><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>&#961;</mi><mo>,</mo><msup><mi>&#961;</mi><mo>&#8242;</mo></msup><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow></math> and <math altimg='si19.svg'><mrow><msub><mi>P</mi><mi>t</mi></msub><mo linebreak='goodbreak'>=</mo><msub><mi>P</mi><mi>t</mi></msub><mrow><mo>(</mo><msub><mi>P</mi><mi>r</mi></msub><mo>,</mo><msubsup><mi>P</mi><mi>r</mi><mo>&#8242;</mo></msubsup><mo>)</mo></mrow></mrow></math>), we derive exact wormhole solutions for two representative cases. Our analysis shows that exact wormhole models can admit null energy condition violations localized at the throat, while preserving a non-negative matter energy density. The stability analysis is performed via the Tolman&#8211;Oppenheimer-Volkoff equation under hydrostatic equilibrium, demonstrating that the balance among anisotropic and hydrostatic forces sustains the wormhole&#8217;s stable configuration. For positive and negative values of <italic>&#950;</italic>, the energy flux attains a pronounced negative magnitude, inducing an outward flux that supports the stability of the wormhole throat. The geometric characteristics of the wormhole are examined through embedding diagrams, and the total exotic matter required to maintain the configuration is evaluated using the volume integral quantifier. Simultaneously, the effective potential demonstrates enhanced photon confinement and increased stability of particle orbits.

India

Sweeti Kiroriwal

Azerbaijan

Oman

S.K. Maurya

Jitendra Kumar

Wormholes generated by a density-gradient dependent equation of state in <math altimg='si17.svg'><mrow><mi mathvariant='italic'>f</mi><mo>(</mo><mi mathvariant='fraktur'>R</mi><mo>,</mo><msub><mi mathvariant='fraktur'>L</mi><mi mathvariant='fraktur'>m</mi></msub><mo>,</mo><mi mathvariant='italic'>T</mi><mo>)</mo></mrow></math> gravity

We consider complex, supersymmetric, non-extremal Euclidean black holes that are asymptotically locally AdS , with $\textit{S}$ × $\textit{M}$ conformal boundary. We study field theory backgrounds consisting of various $\textit{M}$ , and explicitly construct Killing spinors that are anti-periodic around the Euclidean time circle. Focussing on elliptically/biaxially squashed three-spheres and Lens spaces, we compute the supersymmetric index of the 𝒩 = 4 SYM in a Cardy-like limit. While such black holes have not been constructed for general $\textit{M}$ , we demonstrate that the supersymmetric indices can be recovered from gravity computations using equivariant localization, by extending the boundary Killing spinors to the bulk. We show that this involves gluing the black hole geometry with a supersymmetric, horizonless AlAdS geometry, chosen such that the Casimir energy is removed from the supersymmetric partition function.

United Kingdom

Jaeha Park

Localizing AlAdS5 black holes and the SUSY index on $\textit{S}$ 1 $\textit{× M}$ 3

We consider M-theory on the backgrounds $$ {\mathrm{AdS}}_4\times {S}^7/{\mathbb{Z}}_{N_f} $$ and AdS × $\textit{S}$ /ℤ , which have fixed point loci AdS × $\textit{S}$ for $\textit{d}$ = 3, 6. These theories are holographically dual to certain CFTs in $\textit{d}$ = 3, 6 with eight supercharges. We compute the bulk cubic couplings between graviton KK modes and gluon KK modes living on the fixed points of these theories, which are generically extremal. We use these couplings to compute the graviton exchange term that appears in the strong coupling expansion of holographic correlators of gluon KK modes 〈22$\textit{pp}$〉 in these theories, and check that it matches the expected flat space limit. We express the answer in terms of a new reduced correlator solution to the superconformal Ward identities, which we derive for all CFTs with eight supercharges in 3 ≤ $\textit{d}$ ≤ 6.

Shai Chester

Rishi Mouland

Jesse Muiden

Clément Virally

Extremal couplings and gluon scattering in M-theory

The existence of a large extra dimension in which only gravity propagates would have spectacular consequences for cosmology and laboratory experiments. In the strong coupling limit of the $\textit{E}$ × $\textit{E}$ heterotic string theory, the gauge and matter fields live at the end of the eleventh dimension, which becomes a natural candidate for a micron-size $\textit{dark dimension}$. In this work, however, we show that the length of the M-theory interval is severely constrained by proton decay searches. Our results indicate that in such constructions the size of the eleventh dimension is $\textit{R}$ ≲ 𝒪(10 ) meters.

Switzerland

Mario Reig

Ignacio Ruiz

The dark dimension, proton decay, and the length of the M-theory interval

<p>We study the discovery prospects for a doubly charged Higgs boson <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msup><mi>H</mi><mrow><mo>±</mo><mo>±</mo></mrow></msup></math> in the 2-Higgs doublet model with type-II seesaw at future <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></math> colliders. Focusing on the three-body channels <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><msup><mi>H</mi><mrow><mo>±</mo><mo>±</mo></mrow></msup><msubsup><mi>H</mi><mn>1</mn><mo>∓</mo></msubsup><msubsup><mi>H</mi><mn>1</mn><mo>∓</mo></msubsup></math> and <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><msup><mi>H</mi><mrow><mo>±</mo><mo>±</mo></mrow></msup><msubsup><mi>H</mi><mn>1</mn><mo>∓</mo></msubsup><msup><mi>W</mi><mo>∓</mo></msup></math>, we scan the model parameter space subject to theoretical consistency as well as current collider, flavor, and electroweak precision observables. We find that these <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mn>2</mn><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><mn>3</mn></math> production modes can exceed the conventional pair production rate <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><msup><mi>H</mi><mrow><mo>+</mo><mo>+</mo></mrow></msup><msup><mi>H</mi><mrow><mo>−</mo><mo>−</mo></mrow></msup></math>, followed by <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msup><mi>H</mi><mrow><mo>±</mo><mo>±</mo></mrow></msup><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><msubsup><mi>H</mi><mn>1</mn><mo>±</mo></msubsup><msubsup><mi>H</mi><mn>1</mn><mo>±</mo></msubsup></math> and <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msubsup><mi>H</mi><mn>1</mn><mo>±</mo></msubsup><msup><mi>W</mi><mo>±</mo></msup></math> decays, over wide regions, particularly above the <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msup><mi>H</mi><mrow><mo>±</mo><mo>±</mo></mrow></msup><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><msubsup><mi>H</mi><mn>1</mn><mo>±</mo></msubsup><msubsup><mi>H</mi><mn>1</mn><mo>±</mo></msubsup></math> and <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msup><mi>H</mi><mrow><mo>±</mo><mo>±</mo></mrow></msup><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><msubsup><mi>H</mi><mn>1</mn><mo>±</mo></msubsup><msup><mi>W</mi><mo>±</mo></msup></math> thresholds, reaching cross sections up to <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi mathvariant="script">O</mi><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><msup><mn>10</mn><mn>2</mn></msup><mo stretchy="false">)</mo><mtext> </mtext><mtext> </mtext><mi>fb</mi></math> for <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msqrt><mi>s</mi></msqrt><mo>=</mo><mn>500</mn><mi>–</mi><mn>1500</mn><mtext> </mtext><mtext> </mtext><mi>GeV</mi></math>. A detector-level analysis of the <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mn>4</mn><mo>ℓ</mo><mo>+</mo><msub><menclose notation="updiagonalstrike"><mi>E</mi></menclose><mi>T</mi></msub></math> signature, including dominant multiboson and top quark backgrounds, shows that discovery sensitivity is achievable for <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msqrt><mi>s</mi></msqrt><mo>=</mo><mn>1000</mn><mi>–</mi><mn>1500</mn><mtext> </mtext><mtext> </mtext><mi>GeV</mi></math> with integrated luminosities in the few <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><msup><mrow><mi>ab</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow></msup></mrow></math> range, even in the presence of realistic systematic uncertainties.</p>

B. Ait-Ouazghour

A. Arhrib

M. Chabab

K. Goure

Sweden

S. Moretti

Probing doubly charged Higgs bosons with three-body associated production at future <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></math> colliders