We systematically investigate theoretical uncertainties in perturbative analyses of first-order electroweak phase transitions (EWPTs). Utilizing the Standard Model effective field theory framework, we quantify the gauge dependence, renormalization scheme, and scale dependencies in predicting phase-transition parameters across both zero and finite chemical potential regimes. Our key findings reveal that: (1) The gauge-parameter dependence and the chemical potential are subdominant, and (2) Baryon number preservation criteria and phase transition observables exhibit pronounced sensitivity to the renormalization scale in the <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mover accent="true"><mi>MS</mi><mo stretchy="true">¯</mo></mover></math> scheme. Comparative analyses with the on-shell scheme demonstrate that within strongly first-order EWPT parameter spaces, the <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mover accent="true"><mi>MS</mi><mo stretchy="true">¯</mo></mover></math> scheme predicts enhanced phase transition strengths and prolonged transition durations.

China

Yongzhao Zhu

Jie Liu

Renhui Qin

Ligong Bian

Theoretical uncertainties in first-order electroweak phase transitions

An important theoretical achievement of the last century was the realization that strict renormalizability can be a powerful criterion to select Lagrangians in the framework of perturbative quantum field theory. The Standard Model Lagrangian (without gravity) is strictly renormalizable from a perturbative point of view. On the other hand, the inclusion of gravity seems not to respect this criterion, since general relativity is perturbatively non-renormalizable. The aim of this work is to provide concrete evidence that strict renormalizability is still a valid criterion even when applied to gravity. First, we show that adding quadratic curvature terms to the Einstein-Hilbert action gives rise to a strictly renormalizable theory known as quadratic gravity. Second, we argue that this unique theory represents the most conservative approach to quantum gravity and, at the same time, is highly predictive, as it can explain new physics beyond general relativity already in the sub-Planckian regime. In particular, it provides one of the best fits to the CMB anisotropies via Starobinsky inflation and makes sharp cosmological predictions that can be tested in the near future. Finally, we comment on the (super-)Planckian regime and conclude with a historical note.

Netherlands

Luca Buoninfante

Strict renormalizability as a paradigm for fundamental physics

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

S. Bein

A. Benecke

A. Bethani

G. Bruno

C. Caputo

J. De Favereau De Jeneret

C. Delaere

I.S. Donertas

A. Giammanco

A.O. Guzel

Sa. Jain

V. Lemaitre

J. Lidrych

P. Mastrapasqua

T.T. Tran

S. Turkcapar

Brazil

G.A. Alves

E. Coelho

G. Correia Silva

C. Hensel

T. Menezes De Oliveira

C. Mora Herrera

P. Rebello Teles

M. Soeiro

E.J. Tonelli Manganote

A. Vilela Pereira

W.L. Aldá Júnior

M. Barroso Ferreira Filho

H. Brandao Malbouisson

W. Carvalho

J. Chinellato

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>

We propose Integrated Collective Dynamics (ICD), a novel scalar-tensor theory inspired by emergent phenomena in complex systems, to provide a unified, purely theoretical framework for gravitational dynamics across galactic and cosmological scales without invoking dark matter or dark energy. Integrated Collective Dynamics conceptualizes gravitational systems as ensembles of interacting particles, where collective interactions, mediated by a massive scalar field, produce emergent modifications to gravity. In the Newtonian limit, Integrated Collective Dynamics employs a rigorously derived correction function to reproduce flat galactic rotation curves, eliminating the need for dark matter through a statistical mechanics-inspired approach. Relativistically, we formulate Integrated Collective Dynamics as a scalar-tensor theory with a meticulously constructed action, deriving field equations via variational principles and solving them analytically in various regimes. The scalar field naturally induces cosmic acceleration, supplanting dark energy, and predicts qualitative modifications to gravitational lensing, the cosmic microwave background, and structure formation. New additions include quantitative predictions for rotation curves, comparisons with alternative theories, and discussions of model limitations. These predictions, grounded in perturbation theory, asymptotic analysis, and rigorous mathematical derivations, highlight Integrated Collective Dynamics's potential to reshape our understanding of gravity. Rooted in field theory and statistical mechanics, Integrated Collective Dynamics offers a mathematically elegant alternative to the ΛCDM paradigm, addressing fundamental questions about the microscopic origins of gravity and its potential unification with quantum mechanics.

Iran

Esmail Dabbaghsaz

Alireza Mohebalhojeh

Integrated collective dynamics: A purely theoretical scalar-tensor framework for gravitational dynamics without dark components

The energy dependence of the cross section of the ( <italic>n,p</italic>) and ( <italic>n,d</italic>) reactions on natC has been studied for the first time at the n_TOF facility at CERN, from the particle detection threshold up to 25 MeV. The measurement was performed with two telescopes made of position-sensitive silicon &#916; <italic>E</italic>- <italic>E</italic> detectors, covering the angular range from 20 &#8728; to 140 &#8728;. A detector efficiency has been determined by means of Monte Carlo simulations of the experimental setup. Various assumptions on the angular distributions and branching ratios of the excited levels of the residual 11B, 12B, 13B nuclei were considered. In particular, theoretical calculations based on the TALYS-2.0 code were used and the systematic uncertainties in the analysis results were determined from the variations in these distributions. The n_TOF data on the ( <italic>n,p</italic>) and ( <italic>n,d</italic>) reaction on carbon are characterized by a higher accuracy and wider energy range than currently available in literature. A comparison with current evaluations from different libraries reveals a rather significant disagreement with the n_TOF results, while a remarkable agreement is observed with the prediction of TALYS-2.0 for this light element.

Croatia

P. Žugec

Italy

N. Colonna

Switzerland

D. Rochman

M. Barbagallo

Poland

J. Andrzejewski

J. Perkowski

A. Ventura

D. Bosnar

A. Gawlik-Ramięga

Spain

M. Sabaté-Gilarte

France

M. Bacak

F. Mingrone

United Kingdom

E. Chiaveri

O. Aberle

V. Alcayne

S. Amaducci

L. Audouin

V. Babiano-Suarez

S. Bennett

E. Berthoumieux

J. Billowes

A. Brown

M. Busso

M. Caamaño

L. Caballero-Ontanaya

F. Calviño

M. Calviani

D. Cano-Ott

A. Casanovas

F. Cerutti

G. Cortés

M.A. Cortés-Giraldo

L. Cosentino

S. Cristallo

L.A. Damone

P.J. Davies

Greece

M. Diakaki

M. Dietz

C. Domingo-Pardo

R. Dressler

Germany

Q. Ducasse

E. Dupont

I. Durán

Z. Eleme

B. Fernández-Domínguez

A. Ferrari

P. Finocchiaro

V. Furman

K. Göbel

R. Garg

S. Gilardoni

Portugal

I.F. Gonçalves

E. González-Romero

C. Guerrero

F. Gunsing

Japan

H. Harada

S. Heinitz

J. Heyse

D.G. Jenkins

A. Junghans

F. Käppeler

Y. Kadi

A. Kimura

Czechia

I. Knapová

M. Kokkoris

Y. Kopatch

Measurement of the natC( <italic>n,p</italic>) and natC( <italic>n,d</italic>) reactions from n_TOF at CERN