We investigate the heavy-quark corner of the Columbia plot using the gluon potential derived from the Curci-Ferrari extension of the Faddeev-Popov gauge fixing in the center-symmetric Landau gauge, as a proxy for the Polyakov loop potential. In line with the observation that Landau gauge couplings are not that large in the case of heavy-quark QCD, we consider a one-loop approximation and test its consistency by using various renormalization schemes while investigating the dependence of our results on the renormalization scale. We find that the main qualitative features of the phase structure in the heavy-quark regime are reproduced. Notably, we have direct access to real chemical potentials, and have tested that extrapolations from imaginary chemical potentials approximate the direct calculation well until large chemical potentials. Our results agree quantitatively with those of simulations to 10% accuracy, which is the expected precision of the one-loop calculations in applications of the Curci-Ferrari model to Yang-Mills or heavy-quark QCD theories.

France

V. Tomas Mari Surkau

Urko Reinosa

Heavy-quark corner of the Columbia plot from the center-symmetric Curci-Ferrari model

We study the new $Z'$ boson as a portal for the production of Higgs bosons $h_0$ and $H_0$ predicted by the Bestest Little Higgs Model through Higgs-strahlung processes $\mu^+\mu^- \to (Z, Z') \to Zh_0, ZH_0$ . We focus on the resonant and nonresonant effects of the $Zh_0, ZH_0$ signals. In our analysis, we consider the center-of-mass energies of $\sqrt{s}=3, 4, 6, 10, 30$ TeV and integrated luminosities of ${\cal{L}}=2, 4, 6, 10, 30$ ${ {\rm{ab}}^{-1}}$ projected for a future muon collider. The possibility of performing precision measurements for Higgs bosons $h_0$ and $H_0$ is very promising for the future muon collider. Furthermore, our results may be useful to the High Energy Physics community. Complementarily, we generate and provide the Feynman rules necessary for studying processes $\mu^+\mu^- \to (Z, Z') \to Zh_0, ZH_0$ .

J.M. Martínez-Martínez

A. Gutiérrez-Rodríguez

E. Cruz-Albaro

M.A. Hernández-Ruíz

New $\textit{Z}$' boson of the bestest little Higgs model as a portal to signatures of Higgs bosons $\textit{h}$ $_{0}$ and $\textit{H}$ $_{0}$ at the future muon collider

Intermittency analysis of factorial moments is a promising method used for the detection of power-law scaling in high-energy collision data. In particular, it has been employed in the search of fluctuations characteristic of the critical point (CP) of strongly interacting matter. However, intermittency analysis has been hindered by the fact that factorial moments measurements corresponding to different scales are correlated, since the same data are conventionally used to calculate them. This invalidates many assumptions involved in fitting data sets and determining the best fit values of power-law exponents. We present a novel approach to intermittency analysis, employing the well-established statistical and data science tool of Principal Component Analysis (PCA). This technique allows for the proper handling of correlations between scales without the need for subdividing the data sets available.

Poland

Nikolaos Davis

A new approach to handling factorial moment correlations through principal component analysis

We parametrically solve the Boltzmann equations (BEs) governing freeze-in dark matter (DM) in alternative cosmologies with Physics-Informed Neural Networks (PINNs), a mesh-free method. Through <italic>inverse</italic> PINNs, using a single DM experimental point &#8211; observed relic density &#8211; we determine the physical attributes of the theory, namely power-law cosmologies, inspired by braneworld scenarios, and particle interaction cross sections. The expansion of the Universe in such alternative cosmologies has been parameterized through a switch-like function reproducing the Hubble law at later times. Without loss of generality, we model more realistically this transition with a smooth function. We predict a distinct pair-wise relationship between power-law exponent and particle interactions: for a given cosmology with negative (positive) exponent, smaller (larger) cross sections are required to reproduce the data. Lastly, via Bayesian methods, we quantify the epistemic uncertainty of theoretical parameters found in <italic>inverse</italic> problems.

Portugal

M.P. Bento

H.B. Câmara

J.F. Seabra

Unraveling particle dark matter with Physics-Informed Neural Networks

United States

J. Va’vra

Corrigendum to “A Simple Argument that Small Hydrogen May Exist” [ <italic>Physics Letters B</italic> Vol. 794, 2019, p. 130]

We present a lattice quantum chromodynamics (QCD) determination of the vector and axial-vector form factors that describe the charm-baryon semileptonic decays <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msub><mi mathvariant="normal">Ξ</mi><mi>c</mi></msub><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">Ξ</mi><msup><mo>ℓ</mo><mo>+</mo></msup><msub><mi>ν</mi><mo>ℓ</mo></msub></math>. The calculation uses a domain-wall action for the up, down, and strange quarks, and an anisotropic clover action for the charm quark. We use four ensembles of gauge-field configurations generated by the RBC and UKQCD collaborations, with lattice spacings between 0.111 and 0.073 fm and pion masses ranging from 420 to 230 MeV. We present Standard Model predictions for the decay rates and branching fractions of <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msubsup><mi mathvariant="normal">Ξ</mi><mi>c</mi><mn>0</mn></msubsup><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><msubsup><mi mathvariant="normal">Ξ</mi><mi>c</mi><mo>−</mo></msubsup><msup><mo>ℓ</mo><mo>+</mo></msup><msub><mi>ν</mi><mo>ℓ</mo></msub></math> and <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msubsup><mi mathvariant="normal">Ξ</mi><mi>c</mi><mo>+</mo></msubsup><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><msubsup><mi mathvariant="normal">Ξ</mi><mi>c</mi><mn>0</mn></msubsup><msup><mo>ℓ</mo><mo>+</mo></msup><msub><mi>ν</mi><mo>ℓ</mo></msub></math> for <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mo>ℓ</mo><mo>=</mo><mi>e</mi></math>, <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><mi>μ</mi></mrow></math>. In particular, we obtain <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><mi mathvariant="normal">Γ</mi><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><msubsup><mrow><mi mathvariant="normal">Ξ</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>c</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>0</mn></mrow></msubsup><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><msup><mrow><mi mathvariant="normal">Ξ</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo></mrow></msup><msup><mrow><mi>e</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>+</mo></mrow></msup><msub><mrow><mi>ν</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>e</mi></mrow></msub><mo stretchy="false">)</mo><mo>/</mo><mo stretchy="false">|</mo><msub><mrow><mi>V</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>c</mi><mi>s</mi></mrow></msub><msup><mrow><mo stretchy="false">|</mo></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup><mo>=</mo><mn>0.2515</mn><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><mn>73</mn><mo stretchy="false">)</mo><mtext> </mtext><mtext> </mtext><msup><mrow><mi>ps</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow></msup></mrow></math> and <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi mathvariant="script">B</mi><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><msubsup><mi mathvariant="normal">Ξ</mi><mi>c</mi><mn>0</mn></msubsup><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><msup><mi mathvariant="normal">Ξ</mi><mo>−</mo></msup><msup><mi>e</mi><mo>+</mo></msup><msub><mi>ν</mi><mi>e</mi></msub><mo stretchy="false">)</mo><mo>=</mo><mn>3.58</mn><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><mn>12</mn><mo stretchy="false">)</mo><mo>%</mo></math>. These values are higher than those predicted by a previous lattice calculation and substantially higher than the experimentally measured values, but consistent with expectations from approximate <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>S</mi><mi>U</mi><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><mn>3</mn><mo stretchy="false">)</mo></math> flavor symmetry.

Callum Farrell

Stefan Meinel

<math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msub><mi mathvariant="normal">Ξ</mi><mi>c</mi></msub><mo stretchy="false">→</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">Ξ</mi></math> form factors from lattice QCD with domain-wall quarks: A new piece in the puzzle of <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msubsup><mi mathvariant="normal">Ξ</mi><mi>c</mi><mn>0</mn></msubsup></math> decay rates

In this work, we explored and experimented with new forms of parameterized quantum circuits to be used as variational ansatzes for solving the bosonic and supersymmetric $\textit{SU}$(2) matrix models at different couplings using the variational quantum Eigensolver (VQE) algorithm. Working with IBM quantum computing platform, we show that two types of quantum circuits named and can outperform the popular circuits which have been routinely used in the recent quantum physics literature to run VQE. With their more customizable constructions that allow for more flexibility beyond choosing the types of parameterized rotation gates, both types of new circuit ansatzes used in this work have led to performances that are either better than or at least comparable to in the setting of $\textit{SU}$(2) matrix models. In particular, in the strong coupling regime of the bosonic model, both and circuits provided a better approximation to the exact ground state, while in the supersymmetric model, shallow circuits, with a small number of parameters, attained a comparable or even better performance compared to the much deeper circuits with around 8 to 9 times more parameters. The results of this work demonstrate conclusively the potential of and quantum circuits as efficient new types of variational ansatzes that should be considered more frequently in future VQE studies of quantum physics systems.

Singapore

Harriet Dao

Exploring new variational quantum circuit ansatzes for solving $\textit{SU}$(2) matrix models

We present a novel way to probe inelastic dark matter using cosmic-ray (CR) cooling in active galactic nuclei (AGNs). Dark matter (DM) in the vicinity of supermassive black holes may scatter off CRs, resulting in the rapid cooling of CRs for sufficiently large cross sections. This in turn can alter the high-energy neutrino and gamma-ray fluxes detected from these sources. We show that AGN cooling bounds obtained through the multimessenger data of NGC 1068 and TXS <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><mn>0506</mn><mo>+</mo><mn>056</mn></mrow></math> allows us to reach unprecedently large mass splittings for inelastic DM (<math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mo>≳</mo><mi>TeV</mi></math>), orders of magnitude larger than those probed by direct detection experiments and DM capture in neutron stars. Furthermore, we demonstrate that cooling bounds from AGNs can probe thermal light DM with small mass splittings. This provides novel and complementary constraints in parts of a parameter space accessible solely by colliders and beam-dump experiments.

Japan

R. Andrew Gustafson

Gonzalo Herrera

Mainak Mukhopadhyay

Kohta Murase

Ian M. Shoemaker

Cosmic-ray cooling in active galactic nuclei as a new probe of inelastic dark matter

Due to Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle, atomic electrons localized around the nucleus exhibit a characteristic momentum distribution that, in elements with high atomic number, remains significant up to relativistic values. Consequently, in fixed-target experiments, atoms can effectively act as electron accelerators, increasing the centre-of-mass energy in collisions with beam particles. In this work, we leverage this effect to explore its potential for new physics searches. We consider positrons from beams of various energies annihilating with atomic electrons in a W fixed target. We compute the production rates of new vector bosons and pseudoscalar particles as functions of their couplings and masses. We show that the electron-at-rest approximation significantly underestimates the mass reach for producing these new states compared to the results obtained by properly accounting for atomic electron momenta. In particular, we estimate the sensitivity for detecting these new particles using the positron beam at the Beam Test Facility linac at the Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, the H4 beamline in the CERN North Area, and the proposed Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility of Jefferson Laboratory.

Italy

Fernando Arias-Aragón

Giovanni Grilli di Cortona

Estonia

Enrico Nardi

Léo Veissière

Atoms as electron accelerators for new physics searches

While dual-phase xenon time projection chambers have driven the sensitivity toward weakly interacting massive particles at the <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>GeV</mi><mo>/</mo><msup><mi>c</mi><mn>2</mn></msup></math> to <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>TeV</mi><mo>/</mo><msup><mi>c</mi><mn>2</mn></msup></math> mass scale, the scope for sub-<math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>GeV</mi><mo>/</mo><msup><mi>c</mi><mn>2</mn></msup></math> dark matter particles is hindered by a limited nuclear recoil energy detection threshold. One approach to probe for lighter candidates is to consider cases where they have been boosted by collisions with cosmic rays in the Milky Way, such that the additional kinetic energy lifts their induced signatures above the nominal threshold. In this Letter, we report first results of a search for cosmic ray-boosted dark matter (CRDM) with a combined <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><mn>4.2</mn><mtext> </mtext><mtext> </mtext><mi>metric</mi><mtext> </mtext><mi>ton</mi><mo>/</mo><mi>yr</mi></mrow></math> exposure from the LUX-ZEPLIN experiment. We observe no excess above the expected backgrounds and establish world-leading constraints on the spin-independent CRDM-nucleon cross section as small as <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><mn>3.9</mn><mo>×</mo><msup><mrow><mn>10</mn></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>33</mn></mrow></msup><mtext> </mtext><mtext> </mtext><msup><mrow><mi>cm</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup></mrow></math> at 90% confidence level for sub-<math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>GeV</mi><mo>/</mo><msup><mi>c</mi><mn>2</mn></msup></math> masses.

J. Aalbers

D.S. Akerib

United Kingdom

A.K. Al Musalhi

F. Alder

C.S. Amarasinghe

A. Ames

T.J. Anderson

N. Angelides

H.M. Araújo

J.E. Armstrong

M. Arthurs

A. Baker

S. Balashov

J. Bang

J.W. Bargemann

Switzerland

E.E. Barillier

K. Beattie

T. Benson

A. Bhatti

A. Biekert

T.P. Biesiadzinski

H.J. Birch

E. Bishop

G.M. Blockinger

B. Boxer

C.A.J. Brew

P. Brás

S. Burdin

M. Buuck

M.C. Carmona-Benitez

M. Carter

A. Chawla

H. Chen

J.J. Cherwinka

Y.T. Chin

N.I. Chott

M.V. Converse

R. Coronel

A. Cottle

G. Cox

D. Curran

C.E. Dahl

I. Darlington

S. Dave

A. David

J. Delgaudio

S. Dey

L. de Viveiros

L. Di Felice

C. Ding

J.E.Y. Dobson

E. Druszkiewicz

S. Dubey

S.R. Eriksen

A. Fan

N.M. Fearon

N. Fieldhouse

S. Fiorucci

H. Flaecher

E.D. Fraser

Australia

T.M.A. Fruth

R.J. Gaitskell

A. Geffre

J. Genovesi

C. Ghag

R. Gibbons

S. Gokhale

J. Green

M.G.D. van der Grinten

J.J. Haiston

C.R. Hall

T. Hall

S. Han

E. Hartigan-O’Connor

S.J. Haselschwardt

M.A. Hernandez

S.A. Hertel

G. Heuermann

G.J. Homenides

M. Horn

D.Q. Huang

D. Hunt

E. Jacquet

R.S. James

M.K. Kannichankandy

A.C. Kaboth

A.C. Kamaha

D. Khaitan

A. Khazov

J. Kim

South Korea

Y.D. Kim

J. Kingston

R. Kirk

D. Kodroff

L. Korley

E.V. Korolkova

H. Kraus

S. Kravitz

L. Kreczko

V.A. Kudryavtsev

New Constraints on Cosmic Ray-Boosted Dark Matter from the LUX-ZEPLIN Experiment