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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 91 records · Page 5
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Bottomonium suppression from the three-loop QCD potential

We compute the suppression of bottomonium in the quark-gluon plasma using the three-loop QCD static potential. The potential describes the spin-averaged bottomonium spectrum below threshold with a less than 1% error. Within potential nonrelativistic quantum chromodynamics and an open quantum systems framework, we compute the evolution of the bottomonium density matrix. The values of the quarkonium transport coefficients are obtained from lattice QCD measurements of the bottomonium in-medium width and thermal mass shift; we additionally include for the first time a vacuum contribution to the dispersive coefficient γ . Using the three-loop potential and the values of the heavy quarkonium transport coefficients, we find that the resulting bottomonium nuclear modification factor is consistent with experimental observations, while at the same time reproducing the lattice measurements of the in-medium width. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Lattice QCD estimates of thermal photon production from the QGP

Thermal photons produced in heavy-ion collision experiments are an important observable for understanding quark-gluon plasma (QGP). The thermal photon rate from the QGP at a given temperature can be calculated from the spectral function of the vector current correlator. Extraction of the spectral function from the lattice correlator is known to be an ill-conditioned problem, as there is no unique solution for a spectral function for a given lattice correlator with statistical errors. The vector current correlator, on the other hand, receives a large ultraviolet contribution from the vacuum, which makes the extraction of the thermal photon rate difficult from this channel. We therefore consider the difference between the transverse and longitudinal part of the spectral function, only capturing the thermal contribution to the current correlator, simplifying the reconstruction significantly. The lattice correlator is calculated for light quarks in quenched QCD at T = 470 MeV ( ∼ 1.5 T c ), as well as in 2 + 1 flavor QCD at T = 220 MeV ( ∼ 1.2 T p c ) with m π = 320 MeV . In order to quantify the nonperturbative effects, the lattice correlator is compared with the corresponding NLO + LPM LO estimate of correlator. The reconstruction of the spectral function is performed in several different frameworks, ranging from physics-informed models of the spectral function to more general models in the Backus-Gilbert method and Gaussian process regression. We find that the resulting photon rates agree within errors. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Astronomy & Astrophysics↗
DOE OSTI2024

Tetraquarks made of sufficiently unequal-mass heavy quarks are bound in QCD

Tetraquarks, bound states composed of two quarks and two antiquarks, have been the subject of intense study but are challenging to understand from first principles. We apply variational and Green’s function Monte Carlo methods to compute tetraquark ground-state energies in potential nonrelativistic QCD using a wide range of color and spatial wave functions. We find no evidence for bound tetraquarks composed of equal-mass quarks and antiquarks. Conversely, we find clear evidence for the existence of bound tetraquarks for sufficiently unequal quark/antiquark mass ratios at all overall mass scales where our effective theory results are applicable. We predict the critical mass ratios for bound state formation and study tetraquark bound states’ spatial and color structure at leading order and next-to-leading order in potential nonrelativistic QCD. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2024

QCD axion: Some like it hot

We compare the quantum chromodynamics (QCD) axion phase-space distribution from unitarized next-to-leading order chiral perturbation theory with the one extracted from pion-scattering data. We derive a robust bound by confronting momentum-dependent Boltzmann equations against up-to-date observations of the cosmic microwave background, of the baryonic acoustic oscillations and of primordial abundances. These datasets imply 𝑚 𝑎 ≤ 0.16 eV for the 95% credible interval, i.e., ∼ 30% stronger bound than what previously found. We present forecasts using dedicated likelihoods for future cosmological surveys and the sphaleron rate from unquenched lattice QCD.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Moments of parton distribution functions of any order from lattice QCD

We describe a procedure to determine moments of parton distribution functions of any order in lattice quantum chromodynamics (QCD). The procedure is based on the gradient flow for fermion and gauge fields. The flowed matrix elements of twist-2 operators renormalize multiplicatively, and the matching with the physical matrix elements can be obtained using continuum symmetries and the irreducible representations of Euclidean 4-dimensional rotations. We calculate the matching coefficients at one-loop in perturbation theory for moments of any order in the flavor nonsinglet case. We also give specific examples of operators that could be used in lattice QCD computations. It turns out that it is possible to choose operators with identical Lorentz indices and still have a multiplicative matching. One can thus use twist-2 operators exclusively with temporal indices, thus substantially improving the signal-to-noise ratio in the computation of the hadronic matrix elements.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Physical-mass calculation of ρ ( 770 ) and K * ( 892 ) resonance parameters via π π and K π scattering amplitudes from lattice QCD

We present our study of the ρ ( 770 ) and K * ( 892 ) resonances from lattice quantum chromodynamics (QCD) employing domain-wall fermions at physical quark masses. We determine the finite-volume energy spectrum in various momentum frames and obtain phase-shift parametrizations via the Lüscher formalism and as a final step the complex resonance poles of the π π and K π elastic scattering amplitudes via an analytical continuation of the models. By sampling a large number of representative sets of underlying energy-level fits, we also assign a systematic uncertainty to our final results. This is a significant extension to data-driven analysis methods that have been used in lattice QCD to date, due to the two-step nature of the formalism. Our final pole positions, M + i Γ / 2 , with all statistical and systematic errors exposed, are M K * = 893 ( 2 ) ( 8 ) ( 54 ) ( 2 ) MeV and Γ K * = 51 ( 2 ) ( 11 ) ( 3 ) ( 0 ) MeV for the K * ( 892 ) resonance and M ρ = 796 ( 5 ) ( 15 ) ( 48 ) ( 2 ) MeV and Γ ρ = 192 ( 10 ) ( 28 ) ( 12 ) ( 0 ) MeV for the ρ ( 770 ) resonance. The four differently grouped sources of uncertainties are, in the order of occurrence: statistical, data-driven systematic, an estimation of systematic effects beyond our computation (dominated by the fact that we employ a single lattice spacing), and the error from the scale-setting uncertainty on our ensemble. Published by the American Physical Society 2025

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Chiral-odd generalized parton distributions in the large-𝑁 𝑐 limit of QCD: Spin-flavor structure, polynomiality, and sum rules

We study the nonperturbative properties of the nucleon’s chiral-odd generalized parton distributions (transversity GPDs) in the large-𝑁 𝑐 limit of QCD. This includes the parametric ordering of the spin-flavor components, the polynomiality property of the moments, and the sum rules connecting the GPDs with the tensor form factors. A multipole expansion in the transverse momentum transfer is used to enumerate and interpret the structures in the nucleon matrix element of the chiral-odd partonic operator, including monopole, dipole and quadrupole terms. The 1/𝑁 𝑐 expansion of the GPDs is performed using the abstract mean-field picture of baryons in the large-𝑁 𝑐 limit and its symmetries. We derive a large-𝑁 𝑐 relation between the flavor-nonsinglet GPDs 𝐸$^{𝑢−𝑑}_𝑇$ and $\tilde{𝐻}^{𝑢−𝑑}_𝑇$ and test it with recent lattice QCD results. We show that the polynomiality property and sum rules of the GPDs are fulfilled with the restricted realization of translational and rotational invariance in the mean-field picture. The results provide a basis for the phenomenological analysis of chiral-odd GPDs and hard exclusive processes in the large-𝑁 𝑐 limit, and for calculations in specific dynamical models.

generalized parton distributions↗
DOE OSTI2025

Highly excited electron cyclotron for QCD axion and dark-photon detection

We propose using highly excited cyclotron states of a trapped electron to detect meV axion and dark-photon dark matter, marking a significant improvement over our previous proposal and demonstration [One-electron quantum cyclotron as a milli-ev dark-photon detector, .]. When the axion mass matches the cyclotron frequency ω c , the cyclotron state is resonantly excited, with a transition probability proportional to its initial quantum number, n c . The sensitivity is enhanced by taking n c ∼ 10 6 ( 0.1 meV ω c ) 2 . By optimizing key experimental parameters, we minimize the required averaging time for cyclotron detection to t ave ∼ 10 − 6 s, permitting detection of such a highly excited state before its decay. An open–end-cap trap design enables the external photon signal to be directed into the trap, rendering our background-free detector compatible with large focusing cavities, such as the BREAD proposal, while capitalizing on their strong magnetic fields. Furthermore, the axion conversion rate can be coherently enhanced by incorporating layers of dielectrics with alternating refractive indices within the cavity. Collectively, these optimizations enable us to probe the QCD axion parameter space from 0.1 to 2.3 meV (25–560 GHz), covering a substantial portion of the predicted postinflationary QCD axion mass range. This sensitivity corresponds to probing the kinetic mixing parameter of the dark photon down to ε ≈ 2 × 10 − 16 . Published by the American Physical Society 2025

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Primordial Black Holes with QCD Color Charge

We describe a realistic mechanism whereby black holes with significant QCD color charge could have formed during the early Universe. Primordial black holes (PBHs) could make up a significant fraction of the dark matter if they formed well before the QCD confinement transition. Such PBHs would form by absorbing unconfined quarks and gluons and hence could acquire a net color charge. We estimate the number of PBHs per Hubble volume with near-extremal color charge for various scenarios and discuss possible phenomenological implications. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Physics↗
DOE OSTI2024

Determination of the Collins-Soper Kernel from Lattice QCD

This Letter presents a determination of the quark Collins-Soper kernel, which relates transverse-momentum-dependent parton distributions (TMDs) at different rapidity scales, using lattice quantum chromodynamics (QCD). This is the first such determination with systematic control of quark mass, operator mixing, and discretization effects. Next-to-next-to-leading logarithmic matching is used to match lattice-calculable distributions to the corresponding TMDs. The continuum-extrapolated lattice QCD results are consistent with several recent phenomenological parametrizations of the Collins-Soper kernel and are precise enough to disfavor other parametrizations. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Scalar and Tensor Charmonium Resonances in Coupled-Channel Scattering from Lattice QCD

We determine J P C = 0 + + and 2 + + hadron-hadron scattering amplitudes in the charmonium energy region up to 4100 MeV using lattice QCD, a first-principles approach to QCD. Working at m π ≈ 391 MeV , more than 200 finite-volume energy levels are computed and these are used in extensions of the Lüscher formalism to determine infinite-volume coupled-channel scattering amplitudes. We find that this energy region contains a single χ c 0 and a single χ c 2 resonance. Both are found as pole singularities on the closest unphysical Riemann sheet, just below 4000 MeV with widths around 70 MeV. The largest couplings are to kinematically closed D * D ¯ * channels in S -wave, and couplings to several decay channels consisting of pairs of open-charm mesons are found to be large and significant in both cases. Above the ground state χ c 0 , no other scalar bound states or near- D D ¯ threshold resonances are found, in contrast to several theoretical and experimental studies. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Conjectures about the Chiral Phase Transition in QCD from Anomalous Multi-Instanton Interactions

To date numerical simulations of lattice QCD have not found a chiral phase transition of first order that is expected to occur for sufficiently light pions. We show how the restoration of an exact global chiral symmetry can strongly decrease the breaking of the approximate, anomalous U A ( 1 ) symmetry. This is testable on the lattice through simulations for one through four flavors. In QCD a small breaking of the U A ( 1 ) symmetry in the chirally symmetric phase generates novel experimental signals. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Lattice QCD Study of Pion Electroproduction and Weak Production from a Nucleon

Quantum fluctuations in QCD influence nucleon structure and interactions, with pion production serving as a key probe of chiral dynamics. In this Letter, we present a lattice QCD calculation of multipole amplitudes at threshold, related to both pion electroproduction and weak production from a nucleon, using two gauge ensembles near the physical pion mass. We develop a technique for spin projection and construct multiple operators for analyzing the generalized eigenvalue problem in both the nucleon-pion system in the center-of-mass frame and the nucleon system with nonzero momentum. The numerical lattice results are then compared with those extracted from experimental data and predicted by low-energy theorems incorporating one-loop corrections. Published by the American Physical Society 2025

Gao, Yu-Sheng (ORCID:0009000406829247)↗
DOE OSTI2026

Impact of QCD energy evolution on observables in heavy-ion collisions

Here, we study how the inclusion of energy dependence as dictated by quantum chromodynamic (QCD) small-x evolution equations affects key observables in ultra-relativistic heavy-ion collisions. Specifically, we incorporate JIMWLK evolution into the IP-Glasma framework, which serves as the initial condition for a simulation pipeline that includes viscous relativistic hydrodynamics and a hadronic afterburner. This approach enables a consistent modeling of highly energetic nuclei across varying Bjorken-x values, which are relevant for different collision energies and rapidity regions. In comparison to the standard IP-Glasma setup without small-x evolution, we observe pronounced changes in particle multiplicities and spectral distributions, especially in smaller systems and at the highest available energies. We further explore effects on anisotropic flow observables and correlations between mean transverse momentum and elliptic flow. Our findings underscore the critical role of nonlinear QCD evolution in accurately modeling the early stages of heavy-ion collisions, as well as its implications for extracting transport properties of the quark-gluon plasma.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Signatures of QCD conductivities in heavy-ion collisions

Dissipative processes are pivotal for understanding the hydrodynamic evolution of hot and dense quantum chromodynamics (QCD) matter created in relativistic nuclear collisions. The interplay of multiple conserved charges—net baryon, strangeness, and electric charge—is of particular interest. Here, we simulate the longitudinal hydrodynamic evolution with the three diffusion currents in a hydrodynamic model with a lattice-QCD-based equation of state, NEOS -4 D , and estimate rapidity distributions including diffusive corrections to the phase-space distribution in the presence of multiple charges, which ensure charge conservation at particlization. We determine the response of particle yields at midrapidity to changes in the diagonal and off-diagonal conductivities. Inversely, we find that most components of the conductivity matrix can be constrained experimentally using identified particle multiplicities at different collision energies.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Generalized definition of the isothermal compressibility in (2+1)-flavor QCD

We introduce a generalized definition of the isothermal compressibility ($𝜅_{𝑇,𝜎{^2_𝑄}}$) calculable by keeping net conserved charge fluctuations rather than total number densities constant. We present lattice QCD results for this isothermal compressibility, expressed in terms of fluctuations of conserved charges that are related to baryon (𝐵), electric charge (𝑄), and strangeness (𝑆) quantum numbers. This generalized isothermal compressibility is compared with hadron resonance gas model calculations as well as with heavy-ion collision data obtained at RHIC and the LHC. We find $𝜅_{𝑇,𝜎{^2_𝑄}}$ = 13.8⁢(1.3) fm 3 /GeV at $𝑇_{\textrm{pc},0}$ =156.5⁢(1.5) MeV and $\hat{𝜇}_𝐵$ = 0. This finding is consistent with the rescaled result of the ALICE Collaboration, where we replaced the number of charged hadrons (𝑁 ch ) by the total number of hadrons (𝑁 tot ) at freeze-out. Normalizing this result with the QCD pressure (𝑃) we find that the isothermal compressibility on the pseudocritical line stays close to that of an ideal gas, i.e., $𝑃⁢𝜅_{𝑇,𝜎{^2_𝑄}} ≃$ 1.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Pion and kaon PDFs from lattice QCD via large momentum effective theory and short-distance factorization

In this paper, we present a first-principles lattice-QCD calculation of the unpolarized quark PDF for the pion and the kaon. The lattice data rely on matrix elements calculated for boosted mesons coupled to non-local operators containing a Wilson line. The calculations on this lattice ensemble correspond to two degenerate light, a strange, and a charm quark (𝑁 𝑓 = 2 + 1 + 1), using maximally twisted mass fermions with a clover term. The lattice volume is 32 3 × 64, with a lattice spacing of 0.0934 fm, and a pion mass of 260 MeV. Matrix elements are calculated for hadron boosts of |𝑃 3 | = 0, 0.41, 0.83, 1.25, 1.66, and 2.07 GeV. To match lattice QCD results to their light-cone counterparts, we employ two complementary frameworks: the large-momentum effective theory (LaMET) and the short-distance factorization (SDF). Using these approaches in parallel, we also test the lattice data to identify methodology-driven systematics. Results are presented for the standard quark PDFs, as well as the valence sector. Beyond obtaining the PDFs, we also explore the possibility of extracting information on SU(3) flavor-symmetry-breaking effects. For LaMET, we also parametrize the momentum dependence to obtain the infinite-momentum PDFs. Since the present calculation is performed on a single ensemble at a pion mass of 260 MeV and fixed lattice spacing, the uncertainties reported are statistical only, and systematic uncertainties remain to be addressed in future multi-ensemble studies.

Miller, Joshua [Temple University, Philadelphia, P↗
DOE OSTI2025

Status of QCD precision predictions for Drell–Yan rapidity distributions

We compute differential distributions for Drell–Yan processes at the LHC and the Tevatron colliders at next-to-next-to-leading order in perturbative QCD, including fiducial cuts on the decay leptons in the final state. The comparison of predictions obtained with four different codes shows excellent agreement, once linear power corrections from the fiducial cuts are included in those codes that rely on phase-space slicing subtraction schemes. For Z-boson production we perform a detailed study of the symmetric cuts on the transverse momenta of the decay leptons. Predictions at fixed order in perturbative QCD for those symmetric cuts, typically imposed in experiments, suffer from an instability. We show how this can be remedied by an all-order resummation of the fiducial transverse momentum spectrum, and we comment on the choice of cuts for future experimental analyses.

Alekhin, S. [University of Hamburg (Germany)]↗