Search Results (381)

The Thomas–Fermi approximation is a powerful method that has been widely used to describe atomic structures, finite nuclei, and nonuniform matter in supernovae and neutron-star crusts. Nonuniform nuclear matter at subnuclear density is assumed to be composed of a lattice of heavy nuclei surrounded by dripped nucleons, and the Wigner–Seitz cell is commonly introduced to simplify the calculations. The self-consistent Thomas–Fermi approximation can be employed to study both a nucleus surrounded by nucleon gas in the Wigner–Seitz cell and an isolated nucleus in the nuclide chart. A detailed comparison is made between the self-consistent Thomas–Fermi approximation and the relativistic mean-field approach for the description of finite nuclei, based on the same nuclear interaction. These results are then examined using experimental data from the corresponding nuclei. Full article

The Shapley Supercluster, one of the largest and most massive structures in the nearby (redshift $z\le 0.1$) Universe, located approximately 200 Mpc away, is a unique laboratory for high-energy astrophysics. Galaxy clusters that comprise it are promising targets for multimessenger study due to the presence in the intracluster medium of the necessary conditions for the acceleration of cosmic rays up to ultra-high energies and the generation by them of non-thermal electromagnetic and neutrino emission. Using the Shapley Supercluster’s observational data from the recent eROSITA-DE Data Release, we recover the physical parameters of 45 X-ray luminous galaxy clusters and calculate the expected multiwavelength—from radio to very-high-energy γ-ray as well as neutrino emission, with a particular focus on hadronic interactions of accelerated cosmic ray nuclei with the nuclei of the intracluster medium. The results obtained allow verification of cluster models based on multimessenger observations of clusters, especially in $\gamma$-ray (Fermi-LAT, H.E.S.S., CTAO-South for the Shapley Supercluster case), and neutrino (Ice Cube, KM3NeT). We also estimate the ability of the Shapley Supercluster to manifest as cosmic Zevatrons and show that it can contribute to the PAO Hot Spot in the Cen A region at UHECR energies over 50 EeV. Full article

The rapid neutron-capture process (r-process) is responsible for the creation of roughly half of the elements heavier than iron, including precious metals like silver, gold, and platinum, as well as radioactive elements such as thorium and uranium. Despite its importance, the nature of the astrophysical sites where the r-process occurs, and the detailed mechanisms of its formation, remain elusive. The key to resolving these mysteries lies in the study of chemical signatures preserved in ancient, metal-poor stars. These stars, which formed in the early Universe, retain the chemical fingerprints of early nucleosynthetic events and offer a unique opportunity to trace the origins of r-process elements in the early Galaxy. In this review, we explore the state-of-the-art understanding of r-process nucleosynthesis, focusing on the sites, progenitors, and formation mechanisms. We discuss the role of potential astrophysical sites such as neutron star mergers, core-collapse supernovae, magneto-rotational supernovae, and collapsars, that can play a key role in producing the heavy elements. We also highlight the importance of studying these signatures through high-resolution spectroscopic surveys, stellar archaeology, and multi-messenger astronomy. Recent advancements, such as the gravitational wave event GW170817 and detection of the r-process in the ejecta of its associated kilonovae, have established neutron star mergers as one of the confirmed sites. However, questions remain regarding whether they are the only sites that could have contributed in early epochs or if additional sources are needed to explain the signatures of r-process found in the oldest stars. Additionally, there are strong indications pointing towards additional sources of r-process-rich nuclei in the context of Galactic evolutionary timescales. These are several of the outstanding questions that led to the formation of collaborative efforts such as the R-Process Alliance, which aims to consolidate observational data, modeling techniques, and theoretical frameworks to derive better constraints on deciphering the astrophysical sites and timescales of r-process enrichment in the Galaxy. This review summarizes what has been learned so far, the challenges that remain, and the exciting prospects for future discoveries. The increasing synergy between observational facilities, computational models, and large-scale surveys is poised to transform our understanding of r-process nucleosynthesis in the coming years. Full article

As neutrino experiments enter the precision era, it is desirable to identify any deviation between data and theoretical predictions and to provide possible models as explanation. Particularly useful is the description in terms of non-standard interactions (NSIs), which can be related to neutral (NC-NSI) or charged (CC-NSI) currents. Previously, we have developed the code eft-neutrino that connects NSI with generic ultraviolet (UV) models at tree-level matching. In this work, we integrate our code with other tools, increasing the matching between the UV and infrared (IR) theories to a one-loop level. As a working example, we consider the pion and kaon decay, the main production mechanisms in accelerator neutrino experiments. We provide up-to-date allowed regions on a set of Wilson coefficients related to pion and kaon decay. We also illustrate how our chain of codes can be applied to particular UV models, showing that a seemingly large allowed CC-NSI value can be significantly reduced when considering a specific UV model. Full article

In this study, we discuss a series of eight energy scales, some of which are our own speculations, and fit the logarithms of these energies as a straight line versus a quantity related to the dimensionalities of action terms in a way to be defined in the article. These terms in the action are related to the energy scales in question. So, for example, the dimensionality of the Einstein–Hilbert action coefficient is one related to the Planck scale. In fact, we suppose that, in the cases described with quantum field theory, there is, for each of our energy scales, a pair of associated terms in the Lagrangian density, one “kinetic” and one “mass or current” term. To plot the energy scales, we use the ratio of the dimensionality of, say, the “non-kinetic” term to the dimensionality of the “kinetic” one. For an explanation of our phenomenological finding that the logarithm of the energies depends, as a straight line, on the dimensionality defined integer q, we give an ontological—i.e., it really exists in nature in our model—“fluctuating lattice” with a very broad distribution of, say, the link size a. We take the Gaussian in the logarithm, $ln\left(a\right)$. A fluctuating lattice is very natural in a theory with general relativity, since it corresponds to fluctuations in the gauge depth of the field of general relativity. The lowest on our energy scales are intriguing, as they are not described by quantum field theory like the others but by actions for a single particle or single string, respectively. The string scale fits well with hadronic strings, and the particle scale is presumably the mass scale of Standard Model group monopoles, the bound state of a couple of which might be the dimuon resonance (or statistical fluctuation) found in LHC with a mass of 28 GeV. Full article

Applying the holographic 2-flavor Einstein–Maxwell-dilaton model, the parameters of which are fixed by lattice QCD, we extract the equations of state for hot quark–gluon plasma around the critical point at $T=182$ MeV, and have corresponding quark star cores constructed. By further adding hadron shells, the mass range of the whole stars spans from 2 to 17 solar masses, with the maximum compactness around 0.22. This result allows them to be black hole mimickers and candidates for gap events. The I–Love–Q–C relations are also analyzed, which show consistency with the neutron star cases when the discontinuity at the quark–hadron interface is not large. Furthermore, we illustrate the full parameter maps of the energy density and pressure as functions of the temperature and chemical potential and discuss the constant thermal conductivity case supposing a heat source inside. Full article

Monte Carlo simulations of induced extensive air showers (EASs) by ultra-high-energy cosmic rays are widely used in comparison with measured events at experiments to estimate the main cosmic ray characteristics, such as mass, energy, and arrival direction. However, these simulations are computationally expensive, with running time scaling proportionally with the number of radio antennas included. The AugerPrime upgrade of the Pierre Auger Observatory will feature an array of 1660 radio antennas. As a result, simulating a single EAS using the full detector array will take weeks on a single CPU thread. To reduce the simulation time, detectors are commonly pre-selected based on their proximity to the shower core, using a selection ellipse based on the Cherenkov radiation footprint scaled by a fixed constant factor. While effective, this approach often includes many noisy antennas at high zenith angles, reducing computational efficiency. In this paper, we introduce an optimal method for selecting candidate detectors with high predicted signal-to-noise ratio for proton and iron primary cosmic rays, replacing the constant scaling factor with a function of the zenith angle. This approach significantly reduces simulation time—by more than 50% per CPU thread for the heaviest, most inclined showers—without compromising signal quality. Full article

The $\mathsf{\mu }$PPET [mu($\mathsf{\mu }$)on Probe with J-PET] project aims to investigate the “Muon Puzzle” seen in cosmic ray air showers. This puzzle arises from the observation of a significantly larger number of muons on Earth’s surface than that predicted by the current theoretical models. The investigated hypothesis is based on recently observed asymmetries in the parameters for the strong interaction cross-section and trajectory of an outgoing particle due to projectile–target polarization. The measurements require detailed information about muons at the ground level, including their track and charge distributions. To achieve this, the two PET scanners developed at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow (Poland), the J-PET detectors, will be employed, taking advantage of their well-known resolution and convenient location for detecting muons that reach long depths in the atmosphere. One station will be used as a muon tracker, while the second will reconstruct the core of the air shower. In parallel, the existing hadronic interaction models will be modified and fine-tuned based on the experimental results. In this work, we present the conceptualization and preliminary designs of $\mathsf{\mu }$PPET. Full article

The interaction between particles and their surrounding medium can induce a squeezed back-to-back correlation between particles and antiparticles. In this paper, the squeezed fermion back-to-back correlation (fBBC) for expanding sources is studied. The formulas of the fBBC correlation function of fermion–antifermion pairs for expanding sources are given. The expanding flow leads to a decrease in the fBBC of proton–antiproton pairs and $\Lambda$-$\overline{\Lambda }$ pairs in the high-momentum region, an increase in the fBBC in the low-momentum region, and a narrowing width of the fBBC varies with in-medium mass in the low-momentum region. Even though the expanding flow influences fBBC, the fBBC of proton–antiproton pairs and $\Lambda$-$\overline{\Lambda }$ pairs can still offer possible observation signals as the collision energy varies from a few GeV to 200 GeV. Full article

In the N$\nu$DEx collaboration, a high-pressure gas TPC is being developed to search for the neutrinoless double beta decay. The use of electronegative ⁸²SeF₆ gas mandates an ion-TPC. The reconstruction of the z coordinate is to be realized by exploiting the feature of multiple species of charge carriers. As the initial stage of the development, we studied the properties of the ${\mathrm{SF}}_6$ gas, which is non-toxic and has a similar molecular structure to ${\mathrm{SeF}}_6$. In the paper, we present the measurement of drift velocities and mobilities of the majority and minority negative charge carriers found in ${\mathrm{SF}}_6$ at a pressure of 750 Torr, slightly higher than the local atmospheric pressure. The reduced fields range between 3.0 and 5.5 Td. This was performed using a laser beam to ionize the gas inside a small TPC, with a drift length of 3.7 cm. A customized charge-sensitive amplifier was developed to read out the anode signals induced by the slowly drifting ions. The closure test of the reconstruction of the z coordinate using the difference in the velocities of the two carriers was also demonstrated. Full article

The potential correlation between the ordinary muon capture (OMC) on ¹³⁶Ba and $0\nu \beta \beta$ decay of ¹³⁶Xe is explored. For this, we compute $0\nu \beta \beta$-decay amplitudes for intermediate states in ¹³⁶Cs below 1 MeV of excitation and for angular-momentum values $J\le 5$ by using the proton–neutron quasiparticle random-phase approximation (pnQRPA) and nuclear shell model (NSM). We compare these amplitudes with the corresponding OMC rates, computed in a previous Universe article (Universe 2023, 9, 270) for the same energy and angular-momentum ranges. The obtained results suggest that an extension of the present analysis to a wider energy and angular-momentum region could be highly beneficial for probing the $0\nu \beta \beta$-decay nuclear matrix elements using experimental data on OMC rates to intermediate states of $0\nu \beta \beta$ decays. Full article

In this article, we present current results of the experiment searching for double beta decay of ¹⁰⁶Cd with the help of an enriched ¹⁰⁶CdWO₄ crystal scintillator in coincidence with two CdWO₄ scintillation detectors. The experiment is carried out at the Gran Sasso underground laboratory of the National Institute for Nuclear Physics (LNGS INFN, Italy). After 1075 days of data-taking, no double-beta effects were observed. New half-life limits have been set for the different modes and channels of double beta processes in ¹⁰⁶Cd at the level of $lim{T}_{1/2}={10}^{20}-{10}^{22}$ years. Full article

We investigate quasielastic (anti)neutrino scattering on the ¹²C nucleus utilizing a novel scaling variable, ${\psi }^{*}$. This variable is derived from the interacting relativistic Fermi gas model, which incorporates both scalar and vector interactions, leading to a relativistic effective mass for the interacting nucleons. For inclusive lepton scattering from nuclei, we develop a new scaling function, denoted as $f^{\mathrm{QE}}\left({\psi }^{*}\right)$, based on the coherent density fluctuation model (CDFM). This model serves as a natural extension of the relativistic Fermi gas (RFG) model applicable to finite nuclei. In this study, we compute theoretical predictions and compare them with experimental data from Miner$\nu$a and T2K for inclusive (anti)neutrino cross-sections. The scaling function is derived within the CDFM framework, employing a relativistic effective mass of $m_N^{*}=0.8m_N$. The findings demonstrate a high degree of consistency with experimental data across all (anti)neutrino energy ranges. Full article

Searches for new particles beyond the Standard Model (SM) are an important task for the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). In this paper, we investigate the properties of the heavy non-SM Higgs bosons in the $\mu$-term extended Next-to-Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model ($\mu$NMSSM). We scan the parameter space of the $\mu$NMSSM considering the basic constraints from Higgs data, dark matter (DM) relic density, and LHC searches for sparticles. And we also consider the constraints from the LZ2022 experiment and the muon anomaly constraint at the 2$\sigma$ level. We find that the LZ2022 experiment has a strict constraint on the parameter space of the $\mu$NMSSM, and the limits from the DM-nucleon spin-independent (SI) and spin-dependent (SD) cross-sections are complementary. Then, we discuss the exotic decay modes of heavy Higgs bosons decaying into SM-like Higgs bosons. We find that for doublet-dominated Higgs $h_3$ and $A_2$, the main exotic decay channels are $h_3\to Z{A}_1$, $h_3\to h_1{h}_2$, $A_2\to A_1{h}_1$, and $A_2\to Z{h}_2$, and the branching ratio can reach to about 23%, 10%, 35%, and 10% respectively. Full article

The possibility to search for long-lived axion-like particles (ALPs) decaying into photons is investigated in ultraperipheral PbPb collisions at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). We propose a search strategy for low-mass ALPs using the LHCb and ALICE experiments. The ALP identification is performed by requiring the decay vertex be reconstructed outside the region where a primary vertex is expected, which strongly suppress the contribution associated with the decay of light mesons. We also use the fact that a fraction of the photons convert into electron–positron pairs, allowing the reconstruction of the particle decay position. We present the predictions for the pseudorapidity and transverse momentum distributions of the ALPs and photons. Moreover, predictions for the fiducial cross-sections, derived considering the characteristics of the ALICE and LHCb detectors, are presented for different values of the ALP mass and the ALP—photon coupling. Full article