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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 109 records · Page 6
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Low-lying baryon resonances from lattice QCD

Recent results studying the masses and widths of low-lying baryon resonances in lattice QCD are presented. The S-wave Nπ scattering lengths for both total isospins I = 1/2 and I = 3/2 are inferred from the finite-volume spectrum below the inelastic threshold together with the I = 3/2 P-wave containing the Δ(1232) resonance. A lattice QCD computation employing a combined basis of three-quark and meson-baryon interpolating operators with definite momentum to determine the coupled channel $Σπ-N\bar{K}$ scattering amplitude in the Λ(1405) region is also presented. Our results support the picture of a two-pole structure suggested by theoretical approaches based on SU(3) chiral symmetry and unitarity.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Dark QCD: the Next Frontier in Dark Matter

There has been a surge of interest in hidden valley models with new, strong forces, sometimes called "dark QCD". These models propose asymmetric, composite dark matter in the form of "dark hadrons" that would evade direct and indirect bounds as well as typical collider DM searches for large missing transverse momentum accompanied by radiation. However, evidence of these models can still be found in collider datasets by targeting their unique phenomenological signatures, which include semi visible jets, emerging jets, and soft unclustered energy patterns. We will present the first experimental results for all of these signatures, which have made significant strides in exploring the vast space of dark QCD models. We will further discuss the prospects for dramatic improvements in sensitivity using machine learning.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Multi-hadron systems via Lattice QCD

This project supported a broad set of research in theoretical nuclear physics which has been designed to support current and future experimental DOE facilities. The broad summary of physical observables of interest in this project were the bread-and-butter observables obtained in experimental nuclear and particle physics experiments, namely scattering amplitude including multi-hadronic states. The primary goal of this project was to design a systematically improvable paradigm for accessing such amplitudes directly from the Standard Model of Particle Physics. The main tools that were used and explored in this project were scattering theory, lattice QCD, and future quantum computers. The physics outputs included various novel formalisms, exploratory lattice QCD calculations, and a new proposal for studying any scattering observable using future quantum computers.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Dark QCD: the Next Frontier in Dark Matter

There has been a surge of interest in hidden valley models with new, strong forces, sometimes called "dark QCD". These models propose asymmetric, composite dark matter in the form of "dark hadrons" that would evade direct and indirect bounds as well as typical collider DM searches for large missing transverse momentum accompanied by radiation. However, evidence of these models can still be found in collider datasets by targeting their unique phenomenological signatures, which include semivisible jets, emerging jets, and soft unclustered energy patterns. We will present the latest experimental results for these signatures and discuss the significant strides in exploring the vast space of dark QCD models. We will further discuss the prospects for dramatic expansions in sensitivity via machine learning.

Pedro, Kevin [Fermilab]↗
DOE OSTI2025

Transverse Spin and Momentum Structure of Hadrons in QCD (Final Technical Report)

This final technical report summarizes the work on the award DE-FG02-07ER41460, Transverse Spin and Momentum Structure of Hadrons in QCD. During the performance period, we addressed fundamental questions in nuclear physics, focusing on how hadrons—and, by extension, light nuclei—emerge from quark and gluon interactions within Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD).

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2025

The Collins-Soper Kernel from Lattice QCD

I will present the first complete determination of the quark Collins-Soper kernel, which relates TMDs at different rapidity scales, using lattice QCD and including 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. I will also discuss a first exploration of the gluon Collins-Soper kernel.

Wagman, Michael [Fermilab]↗
DOE OSTI2025

QCD splitting functions beyond kinematical limits

In this talk, I will present a new decomposition of QCD splitting functions, carried out systematically up to second order in the strong coupling. The core idea is to separate the splitting functions into two components: scalar dipole radiator functions and pure splitting remainders. While these pieces include terms that are formally subleading in the soft or collinear limits, they turn out to be universal and well understood. Unlike conventional approaches, our construction does not rely on any soft or collinear approximations. This framework not only offers a clearer understanding of the structure of higher-order QCD corrections but also paves the way for more robust subtraction schemes in precision calculations.

Knobbe, Max [Fermilab]↗
DOE OSTI2025

Unraveling nonperturbative QCD with transverse momentum hadronic structures

The main purpose of this thesis is to investigate the theoretical foundations of the factorization theorems that involve transverse quark and gluon momentum distributions, and to better understand the interface between foundational questions and phenomenological applications. Many of these applications involve using transverse parton momentum dependent (TMD) correlation functions as tools for probing the complex nonperturbative structures of the hadrons. We first introduce the concepts of collinear and TMD factorization in a toy-model theory and, by leveraging the comparative simplicity of such a model, we test the range of validity and limitations of the factorization approach. At the same time, we introduce the conventional approaches that are adopted for the phenomenological extractions of the TMD distributions, and catalog the advantages and disadvantages. Following the general theoretical framework of factorization, we then develop a different approach to TMD phenomenology that is able to systematically integrate the perturbative and non perturbative information in parametrizations of TMD distributions, while being completely consistent with their operator definitions and the predictions of QCD, including their nontrivial evolution. The name Hadron Structure Oriented approach, or HSO, is coined in order to emphasize the central role of the nonperturbative nature of QCD and its relation to the partonic structure of hadrons. Finally, we provide a first phenomenological implementation of the HSO approach by extracting TMD distributions relying on low-to-moderate energy Drell-Yan data. The quality and robustness of the results are then compared against higher energy processes like high-Q2 Z0 boson production. Our analysis demonstrates the feasibility of this novel approach and points the way toward the improvements it can achieve in future applications.

Rainaldi, Tommaso [Old Dominion Univ., Norfolk, VA↗
DOE OSTI2025

QCD–Gravity Double Copy in Regge Asymptotics: From \(2\rightarrow n\) Amplitudes to Radiation in Shockwave Collisions

This paper discusses multi-particle production in QCD and in gravity at ultrarelativistic energies, their double-copy relations, and strong parallels in emergent shockwave dynamics. Dispersive techniques are applied to derive the BFKL equation for multi-gluon production in Regge asymptotics. Identical methods apply in gravity and are captured by a gravitational Lipatov equation. The building blocks in both cases are Lipatov vertices and reggeized propagators satisfying double-copy relations; in gravity, Weinberg’s soft theorem is recovered as a limit of the Lipatov framework. BFKL evolution in QCD generates wee parton states of maximal occupancy characterized by an emergent semi-hard saturation scale. Renormalization group equations in the Color Glass Condensate (CGC) EFT describe wee parton correlations and their rapidity evolution. A shockwave picture of deeply inelastic scattering and hadron–hadron collisions follows, with multi-particle production described by Cutkosky’s rules in strong time-dependent fields. Gluon radiation in the CGC EFT has a double copy in gravitational shockwave collisions, with a similar correspondence applicable between gluon and graviton shockwave propagators. Possible extensions of this semi-classical double copy are outlined for computing multi-particle production in gravitational shockwave collisions, self-force and tidal contributions, and classical and quantum noise in the focusing of geodesics.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS2009

A Semiclassical Derivation of the QCD Coupling

The measured value of the QCD coupling alpha(sub s) at the energy M(sub Zo), the variation of alpha(sub s) as a function of energy in QCD, and classical relativistic dynamics are used to investigate virtual pairs of quarks and antiquarks in vacuum fluctuations. For virtual pairs of bottom quarks and antiquarks, the pair lifetime in the classical model agrees with the lifetime from quantum mechanics to good approximation, and the action integral in the classical model agrees as well with the action that follows from the Uncertainty Principle. This suggests that the particles might have small de Broglie wavelengths and behave with well-localized pointlike dynamics. It also permits alpha(sub s) at the mass energy twice the bottom quark mass to be expressed as a simple fraction: 3/16. This is accurate to approximately 10%. The model in this paper predicts the measured value of alpha(sub s)(M(sub Zo)) to be 0.121, which is in agreement with recent measurements within statistical uncertainties.

Batchelor, David↗
DOE OSTI2026

$B \to π$, $B_{(s)} \to D_{(s)}$ from 2+1+1 Flavor Lattice QCD

We present a lattice-QCD calculation of the hadronic form factors for $B$-meson semileptonic decays computed using the highly improved staggered quark action for both valence and sea quarks on the MILC collaborations 2+1+1-flavor ensembles with lattice spacing ranging from 0.09 fm to 0.03 fm, many with physical pion masses On our finest ensembles, we compute the form factors directly at the physical $b$-quark mass. We discuss the computational setup and analysis strategies for two- and three-point correlation functions. For $B_{(s)} \to D_{(s)}$ we present preliminary results of chiral-continuum fits for the scalar and vector form factors. The goal of this project is a percent-level determination of the scalar and vector form factors to enable high-precision determinations of $|V_{ub}|$ and $|V_{cb}|$. This work fits into a broader program of lattice-QCD studies of weak $B$-meson decays by the Fermilab Lattice and MILC Collaborations.

Cassar, Nicholas [Colorado State U.]↗
DOE OSTI2026

Towards determination of the strong coupling $α_s(m_Z)$ from four-flavor lattice QCD using the continuous $β$-function method

The precise value of the strong coupling $α_s(m_{Z})$ at the $Z$-boson mass $m_{Z}$ is essential for high-energy phenomenology and precision tests of quantum chromodynamics (QCD). We present the status of a program targeting a $\sim 0.3\%$ determination of $α_s(m_{Z})$ using the renormalization group $β$-function in the infinite volume gradient flow scheme based on lattice QCD simulations of degenerate four-flavor highly improved staggered quark (HISQ) ensembles. In particular, we analyze both tree-level cutoff effects and finite-mass effects. We also outline the next steps of the analysis, including the infinite-volume and continuum extrapolations required for a precise determination of $α_s(m_Z)$.

Mandlecha, Yash (ORCID:000000020587962X)↗
DOE OSTI2026

Towards determination of the strong coupling $α_s(m_Z)$ from four-flavor lattice QCD using the continuous $β$-function method

The precise value of the strong coupling $α_s(m_{Z})$ at the $Z$-boson mass $m_{Z}$ is essential for high-energy phenomenology and precision tests of quantum chromodynamics (QCD). We present the status of a program targeting a $\sim 0.3\%$ determination of $α_s(m_{Z})$ using the renormalization group $β$-function in the infinite volume gradient flow scheme based on lattice QCD simulations of degenerate four-flavor highly improved staggered quark (HISQ) ensembles. In particular, we analyze both tree-level cutoff effects and finite-mass effects. We also outline the next steps of the analysis, including the infinite-volume and continuum extrapolations required for a precise determination of $α_s(m_Z)$.

Mandlecha, Yash [Michigan State U.; Michigan State↗
DOE OSTI2026

Baryon-baryon, meson-meson, and meson-baryon interactions in nonrelativistic QCD

Van der Waals potentials describing interactions between color-singlet mesons and/or baryons vanish at leading order in potential nonrelativistic quantum chromodynamics (pNRQCD). This result and constraints from Gauss’s law are used to prove that weakly coupled pNRQCD van der Waals potentials in generic non-Abelian gauge theories with only heavy quarks are too weak to form bound states whose color state is a product of color singlets. Quantum Monte Carlo calculations of four, five, and six quarks with equal masses provide numerical evidence that exotic color configurations are higher energy than products of color-singlet hadrons, suggesting that equal-mass fully heavy tetraquark, pentaquark, and hexaquark bound states do not exist at next-to-leading order in pNRQCD and at all orders in QCD-like theories in which all quark masses are asymptotically large. Mechanisms for generating hadron-hadron bound states are identified, which necessarily involve large quark-mass hierarchies, relativistic effects arising from the presence of sufficiently light quarks, or nonperturbative effects outside the scope of weakly coupled pNRQCD.

Effective field theory↗
DOE OSTI2026

Elastic and resonance structures of the nucleon from the hadronic tensor in lattice QCD: Implications for neutrino-nucleon scattering and hadron physics

We compute the Euclidean hadronic tensor from charge density operators and extract elastic and resonance structures by employing exponential fits to the four-point function correlator, as well as a Bayesian reconstruction inverse algorithm to obtain the corresponding spectral density for qualitative comparison. We present the determination of the nucleon’s Sachs electric form factor using the hadronic tensor formalism and verify that it is consistent with that from the conventional three-point function calculation. Beyond the elastic peak, we observe a structure located approximately 0.5–0.7 GeV above the nucleon mass in the Bayesian reconstruction. This structure is interpreted as a mixture of the Roper resonance [𝑁⁡(1440)], and states with both positive and negative parities in this mass region, as well as multihadron states. Assuming the observed structure is dominated by 𝐽 𝑃 = 1/2 ± states, we extract the transition electric form factor 𝐺$^*_𝐸$⁡(𝑄 2 ) and the corresponding longitudinal helicity amplitude 𝑆 1/2 ⁡(𝑄 2 ), and compare them with those determined from the CLAS experimental data of nucleon-to-Roper transition. Although fitting to the four-point correlation function or using the inverse algorithm does not resolve individual resonances, it nevertheless enables the determination of total inclusive lepton–nucleon scattering cross sections in appropriate energy bins. This lattice QCD calculation presents the first major step toward studying the inclusive 𝑁 → 𝑋 contributions within the hadronic tensor formalism.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Lattice-QCD Computable Quark Correlation Functions at Three-Loop Order and Extraction of Splitting Functions

We present the first complete next-to-next-to-next-to-leading-order calculation of the matching coefficients that link unpolarized flavor nonsinglet parton distribution functions with lattice QCD computable correlation functions. By using this high-order result, we notice a reduction in theoretical uncertainties compared to relying solely on previously known lower-order matching coefficients. Furthermore, based on this result we have extracted the three-loop unpolarized flavor nonsinglet splitting function, which is in agreement with the state-of-the-art result. Because of the simplicity of our method, it has the potential to advance the calculation of splitting functions to the desired four-loop order.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Lattice QCD calculation of 𝑥-dependent meson distribution amplitudes at physical pion mass with threshold logarithm resummation

We present a lattice quantum chromodynamics (QCD) calculation of the 𝑥-dependent pion and kaon distribution amplitudes (DA) in the framework of large momentum effective theory. This calculation is performed on a fine lattice of 𝑎 = 0.076 fm at physical pion mass, with the pion boosted to 1.8 GeV and kaon boosted to 2.3 GeV. We renormalize the matrix elements in the hybrid scheme and match to Math output error with a subtraction of the leading renormalon in the Wilson-line mass. The perturbative matching is improved by resumming the large logarithms related to the small quark and gluon momenta in the soft-gluon limit. After resummation, we demonstrate that we are able to calculate a range of 𝑥 ∈[𝑥 0 ,1 − 𝑥 0 ] with 𝑥 0 = 0.25 for pion and 𝑥 0 = 0.2 for kaon with theoretical systematic errors under control. The kaon DA is shown to be slighted skewed, and narrower than pion DA. Although the 𝑥-dependence cannot be direct calculated beyond these ranges, we estimate higher moments of the pion and kaon DAs by complementing our calculation with short-distance factorization.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Collins-Soper kernel in the QCD instanton vacuum

We outline a general framework for evaluating the nonperturbative soft functions in the quantum chromodynamics (QCD) instanton vacuum. In particular, from the soft function we derive the Collins-Soper (CS) kernel, which drives the rapidity evolution of the transverse-momentum-dependent parton distributions. The resulting CS kernel, when supplemented with the perturbative contribution, agrees well with recent lattice results and some phenomenological parametrizations. Moreover, our CS kernel depends logarithmically on the large quark transverse separation, providing a key constraint on its phenomenological parametrization. Finally, a lattice calculation can be directly compared to our generic results in Euclidean signature, thus providing a new approach for evalulating the soft function and extracting the CS kernel by analytical continuation.

QCD phenomenology↗