We perform a detailed pseudodata study to estimate the expected theory uncertainty in the extraction of the strong coupling constant, $\textit{α}$ ($\textit{m}$ ), from a fit to the measured Drell-Yan transverse momentum ($\textit{q}$ ) spectrum at small $\textit{q}$ ≪ $\textit{m}$ . We consider two approaches to estimate the dominant perturbative uncertainties. We first discuss that the traditional approach based on varying unphysical scales is insufficient here because it cannot correctly account for bin-by-bin theory correlations in the $\textit{q}$ spectrum, which are critically important in this case. We then use this case as a nontrivial application of a new approach based on theory nuisance parameters (TNPs), which encodes the correct theory correlations by construction. Moreover, the TNPs can be profiled in the fit thereby allowing the data to constrain the theory uncertainties in a consistent manner. We furthermore discuss the interplay with nonperturbative effects in the peak region $\textit{q}$ ≲ 10 GeV, from where most of the $\textit{α}$ sensitivity originates. The associated nonperturbative uncertainties on $\textit{α}$ when fitting only the $\textit{q}$ spectrum are large. They can in principle be reduced by including additional constraints on the nonperturbative Collins-Soper kernel from lattice QCD calculations. We find that these improvements in the treatment of perturbative and nonperturbative uncertainties and their correlations will enable a competitive $\textit{α}$ extraction from Drell-Yan data at small $\textit{q}$ . We also discuss the implications of our findings, calling into question a recent $\textit{α}$ extraction from the $\textit{Z q}$ spectrum by the ATLAS experiment.

Belgium

Thomas Cridge

Germany

Giulia Marinelli

Frank Tackmann

Theory uncertainties in the extraction of $\textit{α}$

We investigate thermal properties of a <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>U</mi><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><mn>1</mn><mo stretchy="false">)</mo></math> lattice gauge theory in <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mn>1</mn><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn></math> dimensions through real-time simulations. We extract the spectral functions directly coupling to the pseudoscalar and scalar mesons, demonstrating the thermal modifications of these states with increasing temperatures. Introducing the notion of energy-flow operators, we quantify the temporal buildup of correlations in the energy flows across the lattice. We demonstrate that energy-energy correlators fail to factorize to products of energy flows, both in the vacuum and at nonzero temperature, indicating the presence of nontrivial correlations in the quantum states. Our results constitute a first real-time ab initio study of bound-state thermal broadening and finite temperature energy-flow correlations in a gauge theory, providing a benchmark for future studies of hadronic matter under extreme conditions.

CERN

João Barata

United States

David Frenklakh

Swagato Mukherjee

Thermal modifications of mesons and energy-energy correlators from real-time simulations of a <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><mi>U</mi><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><mn>1</mn><mo stretchy="false">)</mo></mrow></math> lattice gauge theory

We show that the Seiberg-type duality of <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><mi mathvariant="script">N</mi><mo>=</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow></math> gauge theory coupled with tensor chiral fields and fundamental chiral fields works if the meson spectrum built from the tensor fields takes a particular form: (a) It should be truncated. (b) The <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>R</mi></math> charges of tensor fields <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mo stretchy="false">{</mo><msub><mi>R</mi><mi>a</mi></msub><mo stretchy="false">}</mo></math> and the truncated mesons <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mo stretchy="false">{</mo><msub><mi>R</mi><mi>j</mi></msub><mo stretchy="false">}</mo></math> take very special values. The meson spectrum so that the duality works is encoded elegantly in the factorization of the polynomial <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msup><mi>y</mi><mi>n</mi></msup><mo>−</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>=</mo><msub><mi mathvariant="normal">Φ</mi><mo>+</mo></msub><msub><mi mathvariant="normal">Φ</mi><mo>−</mo></msub></math>. Our consideration covers many known <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi mathvariant="script">N</mi><mo>=</mo><mn>1</mn></math> dualities and generates a large class of new examples.

China

Yuanyuan Fang

Jing Feng

Dan Xie

Duality of four dimensional <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi mathvariant="script">N</mi><mo>=</mo><mn>1</mn></math> gauge theory

We investigate static and dynamical aspects of string breaking in a <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msub><mi mathvariant="double-struck">Z</mi><mn>2</mn></msub></math> lattice gauge theory coupled to Kogut-Susskind staggered fermions. Using tensor network simulations, we demonstrate that the static potential as well as the site-resolved configuration of the matter sites and gauge links allows us to identify the regimes in which string breaking occurs. Furthermore, we develop a variational quantum eigensolver that allows for reliably preparing the ground state of the theory in both the absence and presence of static charges and to capture the static aspects of the phenomenon. Carrying out state preparation on real quantum hardware for up to 19 qubits, we demonstrate its suitability for current quantum devices. In addition, we study the real-time dynamics of a flux tube between two static charges using both tensor networks and quantum hardware. Using a trotterization for the time-evolution operator, we are able to show that the breaking process starts with the creation of charges inside the string. These eventually redistribute toward the static charges and screen them, which leads to the breaking of the flux tube.

Cyprus

Constantia Alexandrou

Andreas Athenodorou

Kostas Blekos

Georgios Polykratis

Stefan Kühn

Realizing string breaking dynamics in a <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msub><mi mathvariant="double-struck">Z</mi><mn>2</mn></msub></math> lattice gauge theory on quantum hardware

We consider the Chern-Simons theory coupled to massive fundamental matter in three spacetime dimensions, focusing on the Higgsed phase of the bosonic matter in the large-<math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>N</mi></math> limit. To study the characteristics of the <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>Z</mi></math> boson in the Higgsed phase and address an apparent puzzle regarding its fermionic analog, we employ the 3D Bose-Fermi duality to derive the exact large-<math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>N</mi></math> result for the two-point function of the <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>Z</mi></math> boson. We study the spectral representation of the <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>Z</mi></math> boson and find that, in the large-<math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>N</mi></math> limit, it behaves as an unstable resonance with a nonperturbatively large lifetime at weak coupling.

India

Amiya Mishra

Characteristics of the <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>Z</mi></math> boson in Chern-Simons matter theory

The particle origin of dark matter (DM) remains elusive despite decades of direct, indirect, and collider searches. Several groups have reported a <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>γ</mi></math>-ray excess toward the Galactic Center commonly referred to as the Galactic Center excess (GCE). Its spectrum is consistent with annihilation of weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) of mass <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><mi mathvariant="script">O</mi><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><mn>10</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>100</mn><mo stretchy="false">)</mo><mtext> </mtext><mtext> </mtext><mi>GeV</mi></mrow></math> and a thermal-relic cross section. Although many concrete WIMP models reproduce the GCE spectrum, most are now excluded by direct detection experiments that are approaching the neutrino floor. We investigate a class of anomaly-free extensions of the Standard Model featuring gauged differences of lepton number, <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>U</mi><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><mn>1</mn><msub><mo stretchy="false">)</mo><mrow><msub><mi>L</mi><mi>i</mi></msub><mo>−</mo><msub><mi>L</mi><mi>j</mi></msub></mrow></msub></math>, and gauged baryon minus lepton number, <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>U</mi><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><mn>1</mn><msub><mo stretchy="false">)</mo><mrow><mi>B</mi><mo>−</mo><mi>L</mi></mrow></msub></math>. We show that these models can reproduce the GCE while remaining compatible with the observed relic abundance. We then impose collider and direct detection constraints, accounting for both tree-level and loop-induced kinetic mixing. The <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msub><mi>L</mi><mi>μ</mi></msub><mo>−</mo><msub><mi>L</mi><mi>e</mi></msub></math> model gives the best fit to the GCE: a DM mass of <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>m</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>χ</mi></mrow></msub><mo>∼</mo><mn>40</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>50</mn><mtext> </mtext><mtext> </mtext><mi>GeV</mi></mrow></math> remains consistent with the muon and electron magnetic moment anomalies, <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><mi>g</mi><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn><msub><mo stretchy="false">)</mo><mrow><mi>μ</mi><mo>,</mo><mi>e</mi></mrow></msub></math>, as well as current collider and direct detection limits, for mediator masses in the range <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>m</mi></mrow><mrow><msup><mrow><mi>A</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>′</mo></mrow></msup></mrow></msub><mo>∼</mo><mn>70</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>86</mn><mtext> </mtext><mtext> </mtext><mi>GeV</mi></mrow></math> and a DM mediator coupling of <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><mn>1</mn><mo>−</mo><mn>5</mn><mo stretchy="false">)</mo><mo>×</mo><msup><mrow><mn>10</mn></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup></mrow></math>. By contrast, the <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msub><mi>L</mi><mi>e</mi></msub><mo>−</mo><msub><mi>L</mi><mi>τ</mi></msub></math> and <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msub><mi>L</mi><mi>μ</mi></msub><mo>−</mo><msub><mi>L</mi><mi>τ</mi></msub></math> models yield poorer fits; satisfying both the relic density and experimental bounds forces the DM mass to lie very close to resonance (i.e. approximately half the mediator mass). Finally, while the <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>B</mi><mo>−</mo><mi>L</mi></math> model also matches the GCE well, its parameter space is almost entirely ruled out by strong direct detection limits, except for the narrow resonance region where <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msub><mi>m</mi><mi>χ</mi></msub></math> should be equal to <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><msub><mi>m</mi><msup><mi>A</mi><mo>′</mo></msup></msub><mo>/</mo><mn>2</mn></math> requiring a fine-tuning at the few-percent level.

Italy

Jordan Koechler

Mattia Di Mauro

Leptophilic dark matter in <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>U</mi><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><mn>1</mn><msub><mo stretchy="false">)</mo><mrow><msub><mi>L</mi><mi>i</mi></msub><mo>−</mo><msub><mi>L</mi><mi>j</mi></msub></mrow></msub></math> models: A solution to the Fermi-LAT Galactic Center excess consistent with cosmological and laboratory observations

We apply the positivity bootstrap approach to SU(3) lattice Yang-Mills (YM) theory, extending previous studies of large N and SU(2) theories by incorporating multiple-trace Wilson loop operators. By utilizing Hermitian and reflection positivity conditions, alongside Schwinger-Dyson (SD) loop equations, we compute rigorous bounds for the expectation values of plaquette Wilson loops in 2D, 3D, and 4D YM theories. Our results exhibit clear convergence and are consistent with known analytic or numerical results. To enhance the approach, we introduce a novel twist-reflection positivity condition, which we prove to be exact in 2D YM theory. Additionally, we propose a dimensional-reduction truncation, where Wilson loop operators are effectively restricted to a lower-dimensional subplane, significantly simplifying computations. SD equations for double-trace Wilson loops are also derived in detail. Our findings suggest that the positivity bootstrap method is broadly applicable to higher-rank gauge theories beyond single-trace cases, providing a solid foundation for further non-perturbative investigations of gauge theories using positivity-based methods.

Yuanhong Guo

Zeyu Li

Gang Yang

Guorui Zhu

Bootstrapping SU(3) lattice Yang-Mills theory

Conformal field theory (CFT) can be placed on disparate space-time manifolds to facilitate investigations of their properties. For (<math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><mn>2</mn><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow></math>)-dimensional [<math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><mn>2</mn><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn><mo stretchy="false">)</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">D</mi></mrow></math>] theories, one useful choice is the real projective space <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><msup><mi mathvariant="double-struck">RP</mi><mn>3</mn></msup></mrow></math> obtained by identifying antipodal points on the boundary sphere of a three-dimensional ball. One-point functions of scalar primary fields on this manifold generally do not vanish and encode the so-called crosscap coefficients. These coefficients also manifest on the sphere as the overlaps between certain crosscap states and CFT primary states. Taking the <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><mn>2</mn><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn><mo stretchy="false">)</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">D</mi></mrow></math> Ising CFT as a concrete example, we demonstrate that crosscap coefficients can be extracted from microscopic models. We construct crosscap states in both lattice models defined on polyhedrons and continuum models in Landau levels, where the degrees of freedom at antipodal points are entangled in Bell-type states. By computing their overlaps with the eigenstates of many-body Hamiltonians, we obtain results consistent with those from conformal bootstrap. Importantly, our approach directly reveals the absolute values of crosscap overlaps, whereas bootstrap calculations typically yield only their ratios. Furthermore, we investigate the finite-size scaling of these overlaps and their evolution under perturbations away from criticality.

Jia-Ming Dong

Yueshui Zhang

Kai-Wen Huang

Hong-Hao Tu

Ying-Hai Wu

Numerical extraction of crosscap coefficients in microscopic models for <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><mo stretchy="false">(</mo><mn>2</mn><mo>+</mo><mn>1</mn><mo stretchy="false">)</mo><mi mathvariant="normal">D</mi></mrow></math> conformal field theory

We propose a bosonic string dual to large <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><mi>N</mi></mrow></math> chiral Yang-Mills theory in two dimensions at finite `t Hooft coupling. The worldsheet theory is a <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><mi>β</mi><mtext>−</mtext><mi>γ</mi></mrow></math> system deformed by a chiral Polchinski-Strominger term. We reproduce the partition function on a torus, cylinder three-point amplitudes, and the area law for Wilson loops. We also present candidate string duals to symmetric product orbifolds for general seed conformal field theories with <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>c</mi><mo>&lt;</mo><mn>24</mn></math> and their <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><mi>T</mi><mover accent="true"><mrow><mi>T</mi></mrow><mrow><mo stretchy="false">¯</mo></mrow></mover></mrow></math>, <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><mi>J</mi><mover accent="true"><mrow><mi>T</mi></mrow><mrow><mo stretchy="false">¯</mo></mrow></mover></mrow></math> deformations. The results hint at interrelations among confining, nonrelativistic, and matrix strings and <math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>AdS</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>3</mn></mrow></msub><mo>/</mo><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>CFT</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub></mrow></mrow></math>.

Shota Komatsu

Switzerland

Pronobesh Maity

String Duals of Two-Dimensional Yang-Mills Theory and Symmetric Product Orbifolds

We analyze the generalizations of Kaluza–Klein compactifications of 5D Horndeski theory. They are Scalar–Vector–Tensor (SVT) theories with higher derivatives in the action, but with second order equations of motion. The vector field is invariant under a U(1) gauge transformation and the Scalar–Tensor sector corresponds to Horndeski theory. A subclass of these SVT theories is such that the Horndeski functions $$G_4(\pi ,X)$$ and $$G_5(\pi )$$ remain free, while the speed of the tensor and vector modes is exactly the same. We show a subclass where the vector sector retains freedom through new functions of $$\pi ,\, X$$ while the speed of the vector modes still tracks the speed of the tensor modes.