We present a fully backreacted Einstein-Maxwell-Dilaton–flavor model with dynamical light and strange sectors, calibrated to lattice QCD using a machine-learning–assisted spectral method. The model reproduces the <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><mn>2</mn><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow></math>-flavor equation of state and chiral dynamics with quantitative accuracy, and maps the Columbia plot with a tricritical point at <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><msubsup><mrow><mi>m</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>s</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>tri</mi></mrow></msubsup><mo>≃</mo><mn>21</mn><mtext> </mtext><mtext> </mtext><mi>MeV</mi></mrow></math> and a critical mass <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msub><mi>m</mi><mi>c</mi></msub><mo>≃</mo><mn>0.785</mn><mtext> </mtext><mtext> </mtext><mi>MeV</mi></math>, consistent with lattice results. At finite density, it yields a crossover-to-first-order transition and predicts a critical endpoint at <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msub><mi>T</mi><mi>C</mi></msub><mo>=</mo><mn>75.4</mn><mtext> </mtext><mtext> </mtext><mi>MeV</mi></math> and <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msub><mi>μ</mi><mi>C</mi></msub><mo>=</mo><mn>768</mn><mtext> </mtext><mtext> </mtext><mi>MeV</mi></math>, within the reach of heavy-ion experiments. These findings establish a unified holographic framework for the QCD phase structure across quark masses and baryon density, providing the first consistent and quantitative description of both deconfinement and chiral transitions within a single holographic model.

China

Jin-Yang Shen

Xin-Yi Liu

Jin-Rui Wu

Yue-Liang Wu

Zhen Fang

Toward a holographic realization of the <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><mn>2</mn><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow></math>-flavor QCD phase structure

We investigate the reconstruction of standard and generalized Rastall gravity inflationary models, using the scalar spectral index and the Rastall parameter expressed as functions of the number of <math altimg='si3.svg'><mrow><mi>e</mi><mo linebreak='goodbreak'>&#8722;</mo></mrow></math>folds <italic>N</italic>. Within a general formalism, we derive the effective potential in terms of the relevant cosmological parameters and the Rastall parameter for these gravity frameworks. As a specific example, we analyze the attractor <math altimg='si4.svg'><mrow><msub><mi>n</mi><mi>s</mi></msub><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>N</mi><mo>)</mo></mrow><mo linebreak='goodbreak'>&#8722;</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>&#8733;</mo><msup><mi>N</mi><mrow><mo>&#8722;</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow></msup></mrow></math>, first by considering constant values of the Rastall parameter to reconstruct the inflationary stage in standard Rastall gravity, and then by assuming a linear dependence on the number of <math altimg='si3.svg'><mrow><mi>e</mi><mo linebreak='goodbreak'>&#8722;</mo></mrow></math>folds <italic>N</italic> to reconstruct the inflationary model in generalized Rastall gravity. Thus, the reconstruction of the potential <italic>V</italic>( <italic>&#981;</italic>) is obtained for both standard and generalized Rastall gravity inflationary models. In both frameworks, we constrain key parameters of the reconstructed models during inflation using the latest observational data from Planck.

Chile

Ramón Herrera

Carlos Ríos

Reconstructing inflation in a generalized Rastall theory of gravity

Dark photons with kinetic mixing are compelling mediators for the interactions between dark matter and Standard Model particles. While most experimental searches focus on fully visible or fully invisible decays of dark photons, we explore processes that involve dark Higgs-strahlung, i.e. the emission of a dark Higgs boson connected to the mass generation of the dark photon. If the dark Higgs boson is the lightest dark sector particle, it is expected to be long-lived and decay into Standard Model particles via Higgs mixing. At electron-positron colliders, dark Higgs-strahlung may occur either in isolation (leading to a single displaced vertex and missing energy) or accompanied by a photon from initial-state radiation. Both signatures offer distinctive kinematic features, such as peaks in photon energy or missing invariant mass, which enable efficient background suppression and enhance sensitivity beyond existing searches. Our study suggests that Belle II could significantly improve coverage of dark sector models by targeting this previously unexplored final state and that combining dark Higgs-strahlung events with and without additional photon offers great potential for reconstructing the properties of the dark sector.

Germany

United States

Francesca Acanfora

Felix Kahlhoefer

Dark Higgs-strahlung at Belle II: a distinctive dark sector signature with displaced vertices and missing energy

We interpret the Euclidean solution of JT de Sitter gravity as the Coleman-de Luccia instanton for the decay of the low-entropy horizon of its static patch solution into either a Big Crunch or an infinite-entropy Lorentzian de Sitter cosmology. As in previous work by one of the authors, the Big Crunch is interpreted as bounding the entropy of the static state. The principle of detailed balance then guarantees it will transition back to a higher entropy causal diamond in the expanding cosmology. We then construct a family of explicit quantum mechanical models and appropriate metastable states, with transition probabilities well approximated by the semi-classical calculations in JT de Sitter gravity.

Tom Banks

Sidan A

JT de Sitter gravity as a model of Coleman-de Luccia tunneling

We revisit sterile neutrino production enabled by nonstandard interactions (NSIs) among active neutrinos mediated by new bosons. We focus on vector mediators, including neutrinophilic, gauged <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>L</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>μ</mi></mrow></msub><mo>−</mo><msub><mrow><mi>L</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>τ</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></math>, and <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><mi>B</mi><mo>−</mo><mi>L</mi></mrow></math> realizations, that modify in-medium dispersion and scattering, thereby altering the active-sterile conversion history. Building on a novel production framework with NSI thermal potentials and collision integrals, we compute nonthermal phase-space distributions across sterile neutrino mixing and NSI parameters and map each point to an equivalent thermal warm dark matter particle mass <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msub><mi>m</mi><mi>th</mi></msub></math> via linear theory transfer function fitting with the cosmological structure formation Boltzmann solver. This enables a direct reinterpretation of state-of-the-art structure formation limits from Milky Way satellites, strong lensing, and the Lyman-<math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>α</mi></math> forest. These limits, in conjunction with x-ray decay searches, as well as results from a wide variety of particle physics experiments allow for a more complete examination of these models. We find that these vector-mediated models are ruled out when the full combination of current constraints, listed above, are taken into account. NSI scalar-mediated models and models with low reheating temperatures remain viable.

Cannon M. Vogel

Helena García Escudero

Kevork N. Abazajian

Cosmic structure strikes back: The elimination of vector-mediated nonstandard interaction models as a mechanism for sterile neutrino dark matter production

The flavor-changing neutral current semileptonic decays of <italic>B</italic> mesons provide an excellent platform for indirectly probing New Physics (NP) beyond the Standard Model (SM). Recent measurements of lepton flavor universality (LFU) ratios such as <italic>R<inf>K</inf></italic>, <math altimg='si22.svg'><msub><mi>R</mi><msup><mi>K</mi><mo>*</mo></msup></msub></math>, and <italic>R<inf>&#981;</inf></italic> are consistent with SM predictions, thereby reducing earlier hints of LFU violation. Nevertheless, notable tensions persist in individual branching fractions&#8212;for instance <math altimg='si38.svg'><mrow><mi mathvariant='script'>B</mi><mo>(</mo><msup><mi>B</mi><mo>+</mo></msup><mo>&#8594;</mo><msup><mi>K</mi><mo>+</mo></msup><msup><mi>&#956;</mi><mo>+</mo></msup><msup><mi>&#956;</mi><mo>&#8722;</mo></msup><mo>)</mo></mrow></math> and <math altimg='si50.svg'><mrow><mi mathvariant='script'>B</mi><mo>(</mo><msup><mi>B</mi><mo>+</mo></msup><mo>&#8594;</mo><msup><mi>K</mi><mo>+</mo></msup><msup><mi>e</mi><mo>+</mo></msup><msup><mi>e</mi><mo>&#8722;</mo></msup><mo>)</mo></mrow></math>, which deviate at the 4 <italic>&#963;</italic>&#8211;5 <italic>&#963;</italic> level in the low- <italic>q</italic> 2 region ([1.1,6] GeV 2). Similarly, the angular observable <math altimg='si10.svg'><msubsup><mi>P</mi><mn>5</mn><mo>&#8242;</mo></msubsup></math> in <math altimg='si8.svg'><mrow><mi>B</mi><mo>&#8594;</mo><msup><mi>K</mi><mo>*</mo></msup><msup><mi>&#956;</mi><mo>+</mo></msup><msup><mi>&#956;</mi><mo>&#8722;</mo></msup></mrow></math> shows a 3.3 <italic>&#963;</italic> deviation, while <math altimg='si128.svg'><mrow><mi mathvariant='script'>B</mi><mo>(</mo><msub><mi>B</mi><mi>s</mi></msub><mo>&#8594;</mo><mi>&#981;</mi><msup><mi>&#956;</mi><mo>+</mo></msup><msup><mi>&#956;</mi><mo>&#8722;</mo></msup><mo>)</mo></mrow></math> departs from the SM by 3.6 <italic>&#963;</italic>. Although such discrepancies could in principle originate from underestimated hadronic effects, they may also indicate possible NP contributions. In this work, we perform a global fit to the latest <math altimg='si16.svg'><mrow><mi>b</mi><mo>&#8594;</mo><mi>s</mi><msup><mi>&#8467;</mi><mo>+</mo></msup><msup><mi>&#8467;</mi><mo>&#8722;</mo></msup></mrow></math> data within the framework of dimension-6 SMEFT operators. Our analysis systematically incorporates hadronic uncertainties from form factors, non-factorizable corrections, and input parameters, thereby providing a balanced assessment of the NP interpretation. We allow for NP contributions not only in <math altimg='si129.svg'><mrow><mi>b</mi><mo>&#8594;</mo><mi>s</mi><msup><mi>&#956;</mi><mo>+</mo></msup><msup><mi>&#956;</mi><mo>&#8722;</mo></msup></mrow></math> transitions but also in <math altimg='si130.svg'><mrow><mi>b</mi><mo>&#8594;</mo><mi>s</mi><msup><mi>e</mi><mo>+</mo></msup><msup><mi>e</mi><mo>&#8722;</mo></msup></mrow></math> channels, thus testing both lepton flavor universal (LFU) and lepton flavor universality violating (LFUV) NP scenarios. The interplay between these possibilities yields distinctive signatures in branching fractions, angular observables, and &#916;-observables, offering a comprehensive view of the current flavor anomalies.

India

Md Isha Ali

Utpal Chattopadhyay

Dilip Kumar Ghosh

N. Rajeev

Constraints on lepton flavor universal and non-universal new physics in <math altimg='si127.svg'><mrow><mi>b</mi><mspace width='0.16em' /><mo>&#8594;</mo><mspace width='0.16em' /><mi>s</mi><mspace width='0.16em' /><msup><mi>&#8467;</mi><mo>+</mo></msup><msup><mi>&#8467;</mi><mo>&#8722;</mo></msup></mrow></math> decays: A global SMEFT survey

We investigate the semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering off a tensor-polarized spin-1 target, focusing on the production of an unpolarized hadron. The complete differential cross section is expressed in terms of 23 structure functions, which depend on the spin states of the target and the azimuthal modulations of the final-state hadron. Within the transverse momentum dependent (TMD) factorization framework, we derive the hadronic tensor using quark-quark correlators and quark-gluon-quark correlators up to twist-3. At tree-level, 21 nonvanishing structure functions are obtained at the leading and subleading twist, expressed as convolutions of TMD parton distribution functions and TMD fragmentation functions. The measurement of these nonzero structure functions can be utilized to explore the tensor-polarized structure of spin-1 particles, offering insights into their internal dynamics.

Jing Zhao

Italy

Alessandro Bacchetta

Japan

Shunzo Kumano

Tianbo Liu

Ya-jin Zhou

Semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering off a tensor-polarized spin-1 target

Evolution of cosmic domain walls (DWs) settles to the scaling solution, which is often assumed to be independent of initial conditions. However, lattice simulations performed in this work reveal a clear dependence of the scaling DW area on the initial configuration of the sourcing scalar field, specifically, its infrared (IR) properties. Namely, the DW area grows as one suppresses IR modes in the initial scalar field spectrum. This growth is saturated, when the area parameter <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><mi>ξ</mi></mrow></math> commonly used in the literature reaches the value <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msub><mi>ξ</mi><mi>max</mi></msub><mo>≈</mo><mn>1.2</mn></math>. The dependence of <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>ξ</mi></math> on IR modes is argued to be of nonphysical origin: it is likely to be due to effects of the lattice boundary. Assuming that physically the memory of initial conditions is erased, one recognizes <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>ξ</mi><mo>≈</mo><mn>1.2</mn></math> obtained in the situation with maximally suppressed IR modes as a genuine universal value of the area parameter in the scaling regime. We demonstrate that ignorance about initial conditions may affect predictions for the energy density of gravitational waves by the factor <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi mathvariant="script">O</mi><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><mn>5</mn><mo stretchy="false">)</mo></math>. The spectral shape of gravitational waves is also affected by the choice of initial conditions, most notably in the low-frequency part. Likewise, we revisit annihilation of DWs under the influence of a potential bias. It has been previously found in Babichev et al. [<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1475-7516/2025/10/103">J. Cosmol. Astropart. Phys. 10 (2025) 103</a>.] that the annihilation happens significantly earlier compared to the estimate based on the simple balance between the potential bias and surface energy density. We further support this observation and show that the tendency toward an earlier annihilation gets even stronger upon removing IR modes in simulations.

Russia

I. Dankovsky

S. Ramazanov

France

E. Babichev

D. Gorbunov

Czechia

A. Vikman

Cosmic domain walls on a lattice: Illusive effects of initial conditions

Dark matter in the form of macroscopic composites is largely unconstrained at masses of <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mo>∼</mo><msup><mn>10</mn><mn>11</mn></msup><mi>–</mi><msup><mn>10</mn><mn>17</mn></msup><mtext> </mtext><mtext> </mtext><mi mathvariant="normal">g</mi></math>. In this mass range, dark matter may collide with planetary bodies, depositing an immense amount of energy and leaving dramatic surface features that remain detectable on geological timescales. In this paper, we show that Ganymede, the largest Jovian moon, provides a prime target to search for dark matter impacts due to its differentiated composition and Gyr-old surface. We study the effects of dark matter collisions with Ganymede first with analytic estimates, finding that in a large region of parameter space, dark matter punches through Ganymede’s conductive ice sheet, liberating subsurface material. This subsurface material may be compositionally different from the surface ice, providing a key observable with which to discriminate asteroid impacts from those caused by dark matter. We confirm our analytic estimates with dedicated simulations of dark matter impacts using isale, a multimaterial impact code. We then discuss potential detection prospects with two missions currently en route to the Jovian system, Europa Clipper, and JUICE, finding that these missions may have the ability not only to identify signs of life on the Galilean moons, but signs of dark matter as well.

William DeRocco

Ganymede’s subsurface ocean as a dark matter detector

This study explores the realization of nonminimally coupled Higgs inflation in the context of no-scale supergravity, investigates the formation of primordial black holes, and examines the potential for observable proton decay within the framework of the R-symmetric $\textit{SU}$(5) model. For inflation, both single and multifield scenarios are investigated. The prediction of the single-field model for the tensor-to-scalar ratio, $\textit{r}$, is approximately $$10^{-3}$$ , and the scalar spectral index falls within Planck’s 1 $$\sigma $$ range. The running of the scalar spectral index, $$-{dn_{s}}/{d\ln {k}}$$ , is approximately $$10^{-4}$$ . A realistic scenario of reheating and non-thermal leptogenesis is employed with reheat temperature $$T_r\sim 10^9$$ GeV. In the multifield case, we mainly focus on Primordial Black Holes (PBHs) and Gravitational Waves (GWs). In this inflationary framework, we demonstrate how a suitable choice of parameters can result in an enhanced scalar power spectrum, leading to the production of primordial black holes (PBHs) capable of fully accounting for dark matter. We also show that this scenario leads to Scalar Induced Gravitational Waves (SIGW) which can be detected in current and future GW detectors. We explore different proton decay channels to look for observable predictions for the next-generation proton decay experiments Hyper-K and DUNE consistent with gauge coupling unification and cosmological bounds.

Pakistan

Nadir Ijaz

Maria Mehmood

Saudi Arabia

Mansoor Ur Rehman

The stochastic gravitational-wave background from primordial black holes and observable proton decay in R-symmetric $\textit{SU}$(5) Inflation