The weak mixing angle is a fundamental parameter of the electroweak theory of the standard model whose measurement in the low-energy regime is still not precisely determined. Different probes are sensitive to its value, including atomic parity violation, coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering, and parity-violating electron scattering on different nuclei. In this work, we attempt for the first time to combine all these various determinations by performing a global fit that also takes into account the unavoidable dependence on the experimentally poorly known neutron distribution radius of the nuclei employed, for which a new measurement using proton-cesium elastic scattering became available. By using all present direct determinations of the neutron distribution radius of cesium, we find ${\sin }^2{\vartheta }_W=0.2396_{-0.0019}^{+0.0020}$, which should supersede the previous value determined from atomic parity violation on cesium. When including electroweak only, but also indirect, determinations of the neutron distribution radius of cesium, the uncertainty reduces to 0.0017, maintaining the same central value and showing excellent agreement independently of the method used.

Six $C$-even states, denoted as $X$, with quantum numbers $J^{PC}=0^{-+}$, $1^{\pm +}$, or $2^{\pm +}$, are searched for via the $e^{+}{e}^{-}\to \gamma D_s^{\pm }{D}_s^{*\mp }$ process using $(1667.39\pm 8.84){\mathrm{pb}}^{-1}$ of $e^{+}{e}^{-}$ collision data collected with the BESIII detector operating at the BEPCII storage ring at center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}=(4681.92\pm 0.30)\mathrm{MeV}$. No statistically significant signal is observed in the mass range from $4.08\mathrm{GeV}/c^2$ to $4.32\mathrm{GeV}/c^2$. The upper limits of $\sigma [e^{+}{e}^{-}\to \gamma X]·\mathcal{B}[X\to D_s^{\pm }{D}_s^{*\mp }]$ at a 90% confidence level are determined.

Several processes studied by the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider produce low-momentum $b$-flavored hadrons in the final state. This paper describes the calibration of a dedicated tagging algorithm that identifies $b$-flavored hadrons outside of hadronic jets by reconstructing the soft secondary vertices originating from their decays. The calibration is based on a proton-proton collision dataset at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $140{\mathrm{fb}}^{-1}$. Scale factors used to correct the algorithm’s performance in simulated events are extracted for the $b$-tagging efficiency and the mistag rate of the algorithm using a data sample enriched in $t\overline{t}$ events. Several orthogonal measurement regions are defined, binned as a function of the multiplicities of soft secondary vertices and jets containing a $b$-flavored hadron in the event. The mistag rate scale factors are estimated separately for events with low and high average numbers of interactions per bunch crossing. The results, which are derived from events with low missing transverse momentum, are successfully validated in a phase space characterized by high missing transverse momentum and therefore are applicable to new physics searches carried out in either phase space regime.

Area metrics and area metric backgrounds provide a unified framework for quantum gravity. They encode physical degrees of freedom beyond those of a metric. These nonmetric degrees of freedom must be suppressed by a potential at sufficiently high energy scales to ensure that in the infrared regime classical gravity is recovered. On this basis, we first study necessary and sufficient algebraic conditions for an area metric to be induced by a metric. Second, we consider candidate potentials for the area metric and point out a possible connection between the reduction of area metric geometry to metric geometry on the one hand, and the smallness of the cosmological constant on the other. Finally, we consider modifications of the Nambu-Goto action for a string from a metric background to an area metric background. We demonstrate that area metric perturbations introduce an interaction corresponding to a singular vertex operator in the classically equivalent Polyakov action. The implications of these types of vertex operators for the quantum theory remain to be understood.

We explore statistical properties of Bogomol’nyi-Prasad-Sommerfield q-series for $3d$ $\mathcal{N}=2$ strongly coupled supersymmetric theories that correspond to a particular family of three-manifolds $Y$. We discover that gaps between exponents in the $q$-series are statistically more significant at the beginning of the $q$-series compared to gaps that appear in higher powers of $q$. Our observations are obtained by calculating saliencies of $q$-series features used as input data for principal component analysis, which is a standard example of an explainable machine learning technique that allows for a direct calculation and a better analysis of feature saliencies.

We employ the forcer algorithm to renormalize a variety of six dimensional field theories to four loops. In order to achieve this we construct the forcer master integrals in six dimensions from their four dimensional counterparts by using the Tarasov method. The $\epsilon$ expansion of the six dimensional masters are determined up to weight 9 where $d=6-2\epsilon$. By applying the forcer routine the four loop $\overline{\mathrm{MS}}$ renormalization of ${\varphi }^3$ theory is reproduced before gauge theories are considered. The renormalization of these theories is also determined in the $\widetilde{\mathrm{MOM}}$ scheme. For instance the absence of ${\zeta }_4$ and ${\zeta }_6$ is confirmed to five loops in the $\widetilde{\mathrm{MOM}}$ renormalization of ${\varphi }^3$ theory. We also evaluate the three loop $\beta$-function of the gauge coupling in six dimensional QCD.

In this paper, we address the reduced beauty cross section [${\sigma }_{\mathrm{red}}^{b\overline{b}}(x,Q^2)$] and the beauty structure function [$F_2^{b\overline{b}}(x,Q^2)$], to study the beauty content of a proton. We calculate ${\sigma }_{\mathrm{red}}^{b\overline{b}}$ and $F_2^{b\overline{b}}$ in the $k_t$-factorization formalism by using the integral form of the Kimber-Martin-Ryskin and Martin-Ryskin-Watt unintegrated parton distribution function (KMR and MRW-UPDF) with the angular ordering constraint (AOC) and the $MMHT2014$ $PDF$ set as the input. Recently Guiot and van Hameren demonstrated that the upper limit, $k_{\max }$, of the transverse-momentum integration performed in the $k_t$-factorization formalism should be almost equal to $Q$, where $Q$ is the hard scale, otherwise it leads to an overestimation of the proton structure function [$F_2(x,Q^2)$]. In the present work, we show that $k_{\max }$ cannot be equal to $Q$ at low and moderate energy region, and also by considering the gluon and quark contributions to the same perturbative order and a physical gauge for the gluon, i.e., $A^{\mu }{q}_{\mu }^{\prime }=0$ in the calculation of $F_2^{b\overline{b}}$ in the $k_t$-factorization formalism, we do not encounter any overestimation of the theoretical predictions due to different choices of $k_{\max }>Q$. Finally, the resulted ${\sigma }_{\mathrm{red}}^{b\overline{b}}$ and $F_2^{b\overline{b}}$ are compared to the experimental data and the theoretical predictions. In general, the extracted ${\sigma }_{\mathrm{red}}^{b\overline{b}}$ and $F_2^{b\overline{b}}$ based on the KMR and MRW approaches are in perfect agreement with the experimental data and theoretical predictions at high energies, but at low and moderate energies, the one developed from the KMR approach has better consistency than that of the MRW approach.

We extend an earlier calculation within lattice QCD of excited light meson resonances with $J^{PC}=1^{--},2^{--},3^{--}$ at the $SU(3)$ flavor point in the singlet representation, by considering the octet representation. In this case the resonances appear in coupled-channel amplitudes, which we determine, establishing the relative strength of pseudoscalar-pseudoscalar to pseudoscalar-vector decays. Combining the new octet results with the prior results for the singlet, we perform a plausible extrapolation to the physical quark mass, and compare to experimental ${\rho }_J^{\star },K_J^{\star },{\omega }_J^{\star }$ and ${\varphi }_J^{\star }$ resonances.

We significantly extend recent work on the kinematic Hopf algebra, a structure that was shown to underlie the color-kinematics duality in Yang-Mills (YM) theory coupled to two heavy scalars, known as the heavy-mass effective theory (HEFT) limit. First, staying in the HEFT limit, we show the same kinematic Hopf algebra can be used to obtain Bern-Carrasco-Johansson (BCJ) numerators in ${\mathrm{DF}}^2+\mathrm{YM}$ theory, a theory containing an infinite number of higher derivative corrections to YM, used to obtain string amplitudes via the double copy. Second, we exploit the intricate structure induced by the massive poles to obtain an efficient and direct expression for local BCJ numerators in pure YM based on the same kinematic Hopf algebra. This demonstrates that the kinematic Hopf algebra works even beyond the HEFT limit, strongly suggesting this structure universally underlies the color-kinematics duality.

We present the first alternative mechanisms to trigger black hole bomb phenomena beyond the famous superradiant instability. By incorporating nonlinear self-interaction into the massive charged scalar field in general relativity, we discover that the allowed static solutions suggest two such novel dynamic mechanisms, which are further confirmed by our numerical simulations. The first originates from a linearly unstable hairy black hole, but the bomb can be avoided by dialing the coefficient of the tiny scalar pulse. This distinguishes it from superradiant instability, where the bomb is an inevitable destiny. The second is an intrinsically nonlinear process, which can even drive a linearly stable Reissner-Nordström black hole to become a black hole bomb by releasing substantial energy to develop scalar hair. This is also in sharp contrast with superradiant instability, which can only drive an unstable black hole. These findings not only open up new avenues for black hole energy bursts, but also have potential implications for new phenomena occurring around astrophysical black holes.

In this paper we consider the Penrose limit in the case of two gravity duals. One of them, consists of compactified I-branes [intersecting sets of D5-branes over ($1+1$) dimensions]. The second consists of D5-branes compactified on a circle. Both compactifications preserve supersymmetry. We find a match of the oscillators and masses of string modes on the resulting pp wave against a spin chain in a ($2+1$)-dimensional field theory in the first case, and a spin chain in a ($1+1$)-dimensional field theory in the second.

We minimally coupled a scalar potential $V(\varphi )$ with asymmetric vacua to the Einstein gravity to numerically construct the hairy Reissner-Nordström black hole (RNBH) as a direct generalization of RNBHs to possess scalar hair. By fixing the electric charge to mass ratio $q$, a branch of hairy RNBHs bifurcates from the RNBH when the scalar field ${\varphi }_H$ is nontrivial at the horizon. The values of $q$ are bounded for $0\le q\le 1$, which contrast to a class of hairy black holes with $q>1$ in the Einstein-Maxwell-scalar theory. We find that the profiles of solutions affected by the competition between the strength of ${\varphi }_H$ and $q$, for instance, the gradient of scalar field at the horizon can increase very sharply when $q\to 1$ and ${\varphi }_H$ is small, but its gradient can be very small which is independent of $q$ when ${\varphi }_H$ is large. Furthermore, the weak energy condition of hairy RNBHs, particularly at the horizon can be satisfied when $q>0$.

We study higher dimensional charged Kerr-Schild (KS) spacetimes that can be constructed by a KS transformation of a vacuum solution with an arbitrary cosmological constant, and for which the vector potential is aligned with the KS vector $\mathit{k}$. Focusing on the case of an expanding $\mathit{k}$, we first characterize the presence of shear as an obstruction to non-null fields (thereby extending an early no-go result of Myers and Perry). We next obtain the complete family of shearfree solutions. In the twistfree case, they coincide with charged Schwarzschild-Tangherlini-like black holes. Solutions with a twisting $\mathit{k}$ consist of a four-parameter family of higher dimensional charged Taub-NUT metrics with a base space of constant holomorphic sectional curvature. In passing, we identify the configurations for which the test-field limit gives rise to instances of the KS double copy. Finally, it is shown that null fields define a branch of twistfree but shearing solutions, exemplified by the product of a Vaidya-like radiating spacetime with an extra dimension.

We present the first comparison of waveforms evaluated using the effective-one-body (EOB) approach and gravitational self-force (GSF) theory for inspiralling black hole binaries with a nonspinning primary and a spinning secondary. This paper belongs to a series of papers comparing the EOB model teobresums to GSF results, where the latter are used to benchmark the EOB analytical choices in the large-mass-ratio regime. In this work, we explore the performance of two gauge choices for the gyro-gravitomagnetic functions $G_S$, $G_{S_{*}}$ entering the spin-orbit sector within the EOB dynamics. In particular, we consider the usual gauge of teobresums, where $G_S$ and $G_{S_{*}}$ only depend on the inverse radius and the radial momentum, and a different gauge where these functions also depend on the azimuthal momentum. The latter choice allows us to exploit as prefactor in $G_{S_{*}}$ the complete expression $G_{S_{*}}^K$ for a spinning particle on Kerr. As done previously, we employ both waveform alignments in the time domain and a gauge-invariant frequency-domain analysis to gain a more complete understanding of the impact of the new analytical choice. The frequency-domain analysis is particularly useful in confirming that the gyro-gravitomagnetic functions in the new chosen gauge bring the EOB spin contribution at first postadiabatic order closer to the GSF one. We finally implement the improved functions within the public code for teobresums-dalí, which already incorporates eccentricity. In this way, we upgrade the EOB model for extreme-mass-ratio inspirals presented in our previous work.

Thanks to the recent advancement in producing rare isotopes and measuring their masses with unprecedented precision, the updated nuclear masses around the waiting-point nucleus ${}^{64}\mathrm{Ge}$ in the rapid-proton capture process have led to a significant revision of the surface gravitational redshift of the neutron star (NS) in GS 1826-24 by refitting its x-ray burst light curve [X. Zhou et al., Mass measurements show slowdown of rapid proton capture process at waiting-point nucleus ${}^{64}\mathrm{Ge}$, Nat. Phys. 19, 1091 (2023)] using Modules for Experiments in Stellar Astrophysics (MESA). The resulting NS compactness $\xi$ is between 0.183 and 0.259 at 95% confidence level, and its upper boundary is significantly smaller than the maximum $\xi$ previously known. Incorporating these new data within a comprehensive Bayesian statistical framework, we investigate its impact on the Equation of State (EOS) of supradense neutron-rich matter and the required spin frequency for GW190814’s minor $m_2$ with mass $2.59\pm 0.05M_{\odot }$ to be a rotationally stable pulsar. We found that the EOS of high-density symmetric nuclear matter (SNM) has to be softened significantly while the symmetry energy at supersaturation densities stiffened compared to our prior knowledge from earlier analyses using data from both astrophysical observations and terrestrial nuclear experiments. In particular, the skewness $J_0$ characterizing the stiffness of high-density symmetric nuclear matter (SNM) decreases significantly, while the slope $L$, curvature $K_{\mathrm{sym}}$, and skewness $J_{\mathrm{sym}}$ of nuclear symmetry energy all increase appreciably compared to their fiducial values. We also found that the most probable spin rate for the $m_2$ to be a stable pulsar is very close to its mass-shedding limit once the revised redshift data from GS 1826-24 is considered, making the $m_2$ unlikely the most massive NS observed so far.

We investigate the thermoelectric effect, which describes the generation of an electric field induced by temperature and conserved charge chemical potential gradients, in the hot and dense hadronic matter created in heavy-ion collisions. Utilizing the Boltzmann kinetic theory within the repulsive mean-field hadron resonance gas model, we evaluate both the diffusion thermopower matrix and diffusion coefficient matrix for the baryon number ($B$), electric charge ($Q$), and strangeness ($S$). The Landau-Lifshitz choice for the rest frame of the fluid is enforced in the derivation. We find that the thermoelectric effect hinders the diffusion processes of multiple conserved charges, particularly reducing the coupling between electric charge and baryon number (strangeness) in baryon (strangeness) diffusion. Given that the repulsive mean-field interactions between hadrons have a significant effect on the diffusion thermopower matrix and diffusion coefficient matrix in the baryon-rich region, we extend the investigation to include the impact of magnetic fields, analyzing the magneto-thermoelectric effect on both the diffusion coefficient matrix and the Hall-like diffusion coefficient matrix. The sensitivities of the magnetic field-dependent diffusion thermopower matrix and magneto-thermoelectric modified diffusion coefficient matrix to the choices of various transverse conditions are also studied.

We study the masses of light tetraquark states $ud\overline{u}\overline{d}$, $us\overline{u}\overline{s}$, and $ss\overline{s}\overline{s}$ with exotic quantum numbers $J^{PC}=2^{+-}$ using the method of QCD sum rules. It is found that there is no tetraquark operator with two Lorentz indices coupling to the $2^{+-}$ quantum numbers. To investigate such tetraquark states, we construct the interpolating tetraquark currents with three Lorentz indices and without a derivative operator. We calculate the correlation functions up to dimension-ten condensates and extract the $2^{+-}$ invariant functions via the projector operator. Our results show that the masses of the $ud\overline{u}\overline{d}$, $us\overline{u}\overline{s}$, and $ss\overline{s}\overline{s}$ tetraquark states with $J^{PC}=2^{+-}$ are about 3.3–3.5, 3.5–3.7, and 3.67 GeV, respectively. We further discuss the strong decays of these light tetraquarks into the two-meson and baryon-antibaryon final states and suggest to search for them in the $\rho \pi$, $\omega \pi$, $\varphi \pi$, $b_1\pi$, $h_1\pi$, $K{\overline{K}}^{*}$, $K{\overline{K}}_1$, $\mathrm{\Delta }\overline{\mathrm{\Delta }}$, ${\mathrm{\Sigma }}^{*}{\overline{\mathrm{\Sigma }}}^{*}$, ${\mathrm{\Xi }}^{*}{\overline{\mathrm{\Xi }}}^{*}$, and $\mathrm{\Omega }\overline{\mathrm{\Omega }}$ channels in the future.

Based on $(2712.4\pm 14.3)\times {10}^6$ $e^{+}{e}^{-}\to \psi (3686)$ events collected with the BESIII detector operating at the BEPCII Collider, we report the first evidence of ${\chi }_{c0}\to \mathrm{\Lambda }\overline{\mathrm{\Lambda }}\varphi$ decays and the first observation of ${\chi }_{c1,2}\to \mathrm{\Lambda }\overline{\mathrm{\Lambda }}\varphi$ decays, with significances of $4.1\sigma$, $11.3\sigma$ and $13.0\sigma$, respectively. The decay branching fractions of ${\chi }_{c0,1,2}\to \mathrm{\Lambda }\overline{\mathrm{\Lambda }}\varphi$ are measured to be $(2.99\pm 1.24\pm 0.19)\times {10}^{-5}$, $(6.01\pm 0.90\pm 0.40)\times {10}^{-5}$, and $(7.13\pm 0.81\pm 0.36)\times {10}^{-5}$, where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second systematic. No obvious enhancement near the $\mathrm{\Lambda }\overline{\mathrm{\Lambda }}$ production threshold or excited $\mathrm{\Lambda }$ state is found in the $\mathrm{\Lambda }\varphi$ (or $\overline{\mathrm{\Lambda }}\varphi$) system.

We characterize constraints on the possible IR phases of quantum field theories from coupling constant anomalies. We give conditions for when a coupling constant anomaly cannot be matched by a continuous family of symmetry preserving gapped phases: the theory must then be gapless or exhibit spontaneous symmetry breaking or a phase transition. We demonstrate examples of coupling constant anomalies which can be matched by a family of symmetry preserving gapped phases without a phase transition and comment on the interpretation of our results for the spontaneous breaking of “($-1$)-form global symmetries.”