High Energy Physics (Theory) · Cross-listed from math.AG
Chiralization of Quiver Varieties
Ioana Coman, Myungbo Shim, Masahito Yamazaki et al. (+1 more)
Given a quiver Q with gauge dimension $\bf v$ and framing dimension $\bf w$, one can define the extended quiver variety $\widetilde{\mathcal M}(\mathbf v,\mathbf w)$, which is a smooth family of deformations of the Nakajima quiver variety $\mathcal M(\mathbf v,\mathbf w)$. In this paper we discuss two vertex
algebras which chiralize the geometry $\widetilde{\mathcal M}(\mathbf v,\mathbf w)$. We construct a sheaf of $\hbar$-adic vertex superalgebras $\mathscr D^{\mathrm{ch}}_{\widetilde{\mathcal M}(\mathbf v,\mathbf w),\hbar}$ on $\widetilde{\mathcal M}(\mathbf v,\mathbf w)$ which quantizes the jet bundle of $\widetilde{\mathcal M}(\mathbf v,\mathbf w)$, and define a vertex
algebra $\mathsf D^{\mathrm{ch}}(\widetilde{\mathcal M}(\mathbf v,\mathbf w))$ to be the $\hbar=1$ specialization of the $\mathbb C^{\times}$-finite part of the vector space of global sections $\Gamma(\widetilde{\mathcal M}(\mathbf v,\mathbf w), \mathscr D^{\mathrm{ch}}_{\widetilde{\mathcal M}(\mathbf v,\mathbf w),\hbar})$. We define another vertex superalgebra $\mathcal V(\mathbf v,\mathbf w)$ by BRST reduction of the tensor product of the $\beta\gamma bc$-system and Heisenberg VOA associated to the quiver Q, and show that there exists a natural vertex superalgebra map from $\mathcal V(\mathbf v,\mathbf w)$ to $\mathsf D^{\mathrm{ch}}(\widetilde{\mathcal M}(\mathbf v,\mathbf w))$. Under certain technical assumptions, we prove that the negative degree BRST
cohomologies of the tensor product of $\beta\gamma bc$-systems and Heisenberg VOA associated to the quiver Q are zero, and under stronger assumptions, that the aforementioned vertex superalgebra map is injective. Physically, the vertex superalgebra $\mathcal V(\mathbf v,\mathbf w)$ is closely related to the boundary VOA of the H-twisted 3D $\mathcal N=4$ quiver gauge theory associated to the quiver Q with gauge and framing dimension vectors $\bf v$ and $\bf w$.
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All authors Ioana Coman, Myungbo Shim, Masahito Yamazaki, Yehao Zhou
Materials Science
Nonrelativistic Spin-Orbit-Coupling Effects in Odd-Parity Coplanar Magnets
Dongling Liu, Zheng-Yang Zhuang, Di Zhu et al. (+2 more)
Spin-orbit coupling (SOC) is a relativistic effect that underpins a broad spectrum of phenomena in condensed matter physics, from topological phases of matter to spintronic functionality. Its relativistic origin, however, restricts strong SOC to heavy-element materials and locks
spin-momentum texture into a fixed, material-specific pattern. Here we show that odd-parity coplanar magnets offer a nonrelativistic pathway to highly tunable SOC effects. We construct a
bilayer coplanar magnet via
symmetry-guided stacking of two monolayer odd-parity altermagnets and demonstrate that Rashba, Weyl, and Dresselhaus
spin textures can all be realized, and that the
spin texture can be switched between these forms simply by tuning the layer Neel vector. Through the
spin Edelstein effect and the realization of fully gapped
chiral topological superconducting phases, we demonstrate that this nonrelativistic SOC achieves physical equivalence to its relativistic counterpart. Our findings identify a new class of odd-parity coplanar magnets as a versatile platform for engineering SOC effects.
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All authors Dongling Liu, Zheng-Yang Zhuang, Di Zhu, Zhigang Wu, Zhongbo Yan
Disordered Systems and Neural Networks · Cross-listed from eess.SY
Rethinking the green power grid for stability, not just for climate
Yiming Wang, Arthur N. Montanari and Adilson E. Motter
The 2025 Iberian blackout has renewed concerns about the resilience of power grids with high shares of renewable generation. This commentary argues that renewable generation can not only advance decarbonization but also strengthen grid stability through synthetic inertia, advanced inverter-based control, and coordinated transmission planning. Rapid advances in energy storage and power electronics make this transition increasingly viable.
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General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
Black Hole Ringdown Nonlinearities in the Large-D Limit
Roberto Emparan, Amanda Green-Salinas, David Pereñiguez et al. (+1 more)
We initiate the study of nonlinear effects in the ringdown phase of black hole mergers using the effective theory of black hole dynamics in the large-D limit. This framework offers several advantages: the quasinormal mode spectrum, including nonlinear corrections, is analytically tractable; numerical simulations of collisions are computationally inexpensive; and the extraction and analysis of the ringdown signal are clean and controlled. As a proof of concept, we derive analytic expressions for the third-order response of a static black hole driven by a single quasinormal mode, and apply them to study the ringdown following head-on collisions of non-spinning black holes across a range of velocities and mass ratios. We find that including nonlinear effects, up to quadratic and cubic order, improves the accuracy of quasinormal-mode modelling of black hole relaxation by several orders of magnitude. The results also show a clear growth in the strength of nonlinear effects as the collision velocity increases.
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All authors Roberto Emparan, Amanda Green-Salinas, David Pereñiguez, Jaime Redondo-Yuste
Quantum Physics
Infinite-Level Hierarchy of Solvable Quantum Circuits
Michael A. Rampp, Suhail A. Rather and Pieter W. Claeys
Dual-
unitary circuits have emerged as a paradigm of exactly solvable yet non-integrable
quantum dynamics. Recently, a generalization of dual unitarity attempting to extend the phenomenology of exactly solvable
circuits has been introduced through a hierarchy of conditions, with dual unitarity as the first level. However, beyond the second level the proposed generalized dual-
unitary hierarchy ceases to be solvable in the whole spacetime. We present an infinite hierarchy of solvability conditions remedying this problem. These new conditions can be combined with the generalized dual-
unitary hierarchy to obtain
circuits for which correlation functions and
entanglement dynamics can be analyzed exactly in the whole spacetime. We show that this novel hierarchy possesses non-trivial solutions at every level. Our results demonstrate that dual unitarity can be systematically extended while preserving solvability, opening up investigations of exactly solvable non-integrable systems with more general properties.
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Astrophysics of Galaxies
Characterising magnetic fields at the onset of star cluster formation: From giant molecular clouds to infrared dark clumps
Ria Ramkumar, Nicolas Peretto, Gary A. Fuller et al. (+2 more)
The role of
magnetic fields in the observed inefficiency of
star formation in
Galactic molecular clouds is a widely debated topic, with the past decade seeing an explosion of observational characterisation of
magnetic fields in
star-forming regions. However, few have studied the spatial
evolution of
magnetic fields from entire molecular clouds down to parsec-size cluster-forming clumps. In this work, the plane-of-sky morphology of the
magnetic fields of eight infrared dark clumps and their parent molecular clouds are derived from Planck and JCMT POL-2 polarisation data (including some from the BISTRO survey). We also use this data to test multiple methods of calculating B-field strengths. Our study shows that the morphologies of
magnetic fields in clumps and their parent molecular clouds systematically, and significantly, differ, supported by a line-of-sight correction of the cloud-scale
magnetic fields using the velocity gradient technique. We find a strong correlation between gas velocity dispersion and the
alignment of
magnetic field lines with column density gradients from scales of tens of parsecs to a few parsecs. This correlation is clear evidence of a link between the kinematic properties of the gas and the dynamical importance of
magnetic fields. Conversely, the higher
magnetic field strengths we measure on cloud scale compared to clump scale contradict
magnetic flux conservation and thus highlight the unreliability of such measurements. Altogether, our analysis supports a picture in which
magnetic fields have little impact on the dynamical
evolution of cluster-forming clumps but do play a role in providing support on larger scales.
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All authors Ria Ramkumar, Nicolas Peretto, Gary A. Fuller, Patrick M. Koch, Ya-Wen Tang
Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
Direct Imaging Discovery of Giant Exoplanet $\beta$ Pictoris d: A Decade-Long Game of Hide-and-Seek
Ben J. Sutlieff, Markus J. Bonse, Valentin Christiaens et al. (+94 more)
We report the direct imaging discovery of a third
exoplanet in the $\beta$ Pictoris system. We detect $\beta$ Pictoris d ($\beta$ Pic d) in non-coronagraphic observations obtained with VLT/ERIS as well as multi-epoch archival
datasets from JWST/NIRCam and VLT/SPHERE. Astrometric measurements over an 11-year baseline demonstrate that it is consistent with a gravitationally-bound source with orbital motion. Joint multi-
planet orbit fits of all three
planets in the system yield a semi-major axis of $26.0^{+2.2}_{-6.1}$ au and inclination $89.0^{+0.7}_{-0.6}$ deg for
planet d. $\beta$ Pic d has a larger orbital semi-major axis than the other known
planets in the system, but is coplanar with the inner two
planets, and its orbit is consistent with sculpting the inner edge of the debris disk. $\beta$ Pic d has a contrast of $\Delta L^{\prime}=12.11\pm0.15$ mag, with colors and luminosity that closely match those of 51 Eri b, another
exoplanet in the $\beta$ Pictoris moving group. Its VLT/ERIS and JWST/NIRCam colors are distinct from those of free-floating planetary-mass objects of a similar age and temperature. Its red $F410M-F444W$ color indicates strong CO$_2$ absorption in its atmosphere and suggests significant enhancement in metals compared to free-floating objects. From the ATMO hot-start evolutionary models, we estimate an effective temperature of $600^{+45}_{-60}$ K and mass of $2.4\pm0.6$ $M_{\rm Jup}$, which also closely matches similar estimates for 51 Eri b. $\beta$ Pic d is among the lowest-mass
exoplanets imaged from the ground. This discovery highlights the deep sensitivity achievable with ground-based imaging in the mid-infrared and the discovery potential of future high-contrast observations with the Extremely Large
Telescope.
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All authors Ben J. Sutlieff, Markus J. Bonse, Valentin Christiaens, Clémence Fontanive, Elisabeth C. Matthews, Luke T. Parker, Tim D. Pearce, Jayne L. Birkby, Beth A. Biller, Trent J. Dupuy, Emily O. Garvin, Leyla Iskandarli, Jens Kammerer, Yifan Zhou, Robert J. De Rosa, Aarynn L. Carter, Sasha Hinkley, Matthew A. Kenworthy, William O. Balmer, Iain Hammond, James Mang, Caroline V. Morley, Mark J. Neeser, Olivier Absil, Anthony Boccaletti, Mariangela Bonavita, Brendan P. Bowler, Xueqing Chen, Felix A. Dannert, Julien H. Girard, Markus Kasper, Anne-Marie Lagrange, Pengyu Liu, Gilles Orban de Xivry, Michael Poon, Sascha P. Quanz, Benoît Serra, Johanna M. Vos, Kevin Wagner, Jason Wang, Bernhard Schölkopf, Guido Agapito, Alex Agudo Berbel, Dániel Apai, Andrea Baruffolo, Martin Black, Marco Bonaglia, Runa Briguglio, Yixian Cao, Luca Carbonaro, Lee Chapman, Giovanni Cresci, Yigit Dallilar, Richard Davies, Matthias Deysenroth, Ivan Di Antonio, Amico Di Cianno, Gianluca Di Rico, David Doelman, Mauro Dolci, Frank Eisenhauer, Simone Esposito, Debora Ferruzzi, Helmut Feuchtgruber, Natascha Förster-Schreiber, Kyle Franson, Reinhard Genzel, Stefan Gillessen, Eileen C. Gonzales, Michael Hartl, Jean Hayoz, Heinrich Huber, Christoph Keller, Kateryna Kravchenko, Jarron Leisenring, John Lightfoot, David Lunney, Dieter Lutz, Mike Macintosh, Filippo Mannucci, Stanimir Metchev, Thomas Ott, David Pearson, Alfio Puglisi, Sebastian Rabien, Christian Rau, Armando Riccardi, Bernardo Salasnich, Taro Shimizu, Frans Snik, Eckhard Sturm, Genaro Suárez, Linda Tacconi, Xianyu Tan, William Taylor, Christopher Waring, Marco Xompero
Quantum Physics
Fabian Ballar Trigueros, Zheng-Hang Sun, Xhek Turkeshi et al. (+2 more)
Matchgate
circuits realize free-
fermion dynamics: they are efficiently classically simulable, yet cannot on their own generate the generic randomness required for universal computation or
unitary design formation. We study a controlled route beyond this integrable limit by doping matchgate
circuits with non-Gaussian gates-physically, the injection of fermionic interactions into an otherwise free system. Using the matchgate commutant framework, we obtain analytic control over
unitary $2$-design formation. For globally scrambled dynamics, the design problem maps exactly onto a classical birth-death Markov chain with an Ornstein-Uhlenbeck continuum limit, recasting the emergence of
quantum randomness in terms of spectral gaps and mixing times and yielding rigorous bounds on the number of non-Gaussian gates needed for approximate $2$-designs. These bounds hold for a broad class of parity-preserving non-Gaussian gates, independently of microscopic details, with numerics indicating that the same mechanism governs higher-order designs. Used as local building blocks in a glued-
circuit architecture, they yield approximate parity-preserving $2$-designs in polylogarithmic depth with a sparse non-Gaussian gate count, with implications for Page-like
entanglement growth and fermionic classical-shadow protocols. Finally, locality reshapes this picture: in local brickwork dynamics, design formation is
diffusion-limited and far slower. Our results establish doped matchgate
circuits as a controlled, analytically tractable route from free
fermions to interaction-generated
quantum designs.
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All authors Fabian Ballar Trigueros, Zheng-Hang Sun, Xhek Turkeshi, Piotr Sierant, Poetri Sonya Tarabunga
Strongly Correlated Electrons
Fermi surface change and $d$-wave superconductivity in the square lattice Kondo-Heisenberg model
Alexander Nikolaenko, Riccardo Rende, Luciano Loris Viteritti et al. (+2 more)
We study the two-dimensional Kondo-Heisenberg model on a square
lattice, with the conduction electrons away from half-filling, using neural network
quantum states. Mapping the ground-state phase diagram as a function of the Kondo and Heisenberg couplings, we identify (i) at weak Kondo coupling,
antiferromagnetic Néel order with a
Fermi surface whose enclosed area counts only the conduction electrons and is insensitive to the Néel order, and (ii) at strong coupling, a heavy
Fermi liquid with a
Fermi surface whose enclosed area counts both the conduction electrons and the
spins. In the crossover between these regimes, we find $d_{x^2-y^2}$ superconductivity, evidenced by off-diagonal long-range order in the pair-pair correlations and a pairing-amplitude dome that coexists with the underlying
magnetic phase. Our results establish
Fermi volume change and unconventional superconductivity as intrinsic features of the two-dimensional Kondo-Heisenberg model.
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All authors Alexander Nikolaenko, Riccardo Rende, Luciano Loris Viteritti, Subir Sachdev, Ya-Hui Zhang
Astrophysics of Galaxies
The PICO-Cluster Project: presenting the galaxy cluster sample and studying magnetic field growth, Faraday rotation and Braginskii heating
Thomas Berlok, Christoph Pfrommer, Ewald Puchwein et al. (+9 more)
Galaxy clusters constitute a microcosm of the Universe and offer a unique laboratory for studying
plasma astrophysics, encompassing processes such as
cosmic-ray acceleration and non-thermal
radio emission,
turbulence, weakly collisional
plasma physics, and transformative mechanisms in
galaxy evolution. To investigate these phenomena, we introduce the PICO-Cluster project, studying '
Plasmas In COsmological Clusters' using a suite of high-resolution cosmological zoom-in simulations of massive
galaxy clusters with masses $\gtrsim10^{15}$M$_\odot$ selected from a parent simulation box with a comoving side length of 1 $h^{-1}$Gpc. In this work, we present 24 baseline simulations performed with the moving-mesh AREPO code and the IllustrisTNG
galaxy formation model, achieving a baryonic mass resolution of up to $1.4\times10^{6}\mathrm{M}_\odot$. The initial conditions are carefully designed to exclude low-resolution particle contamination within the high-resolution region; as a result, all clusters remain free of such contamination out to at least 2.7 $R_{200}$ at all times. Our
galaxy and cluster properties agree with recent simulations and many observational constraints, including scaling relations and thermodynamic profiles. The
magnetic energy within the cluster is numerically converged once the small-scale dynamo has saturated, yielding a remarkably tight volume-averaged
plasma-beta of $\beta\approx100$ inside $R_{200}$ across our sample after
redshift $z\sim1.2$. Faraday rotation measure profiles, which trace the line-of-sight
magnetic field and electron density, decline with cylindrical radius; notably, the mean decreases more rapidly than the root-mean-square due to the increasing relative contribution of
galaxies at larger radii. Finally, viscous heating rates in Braginskii theory are highly intermittent and, on average, approach radiative cooling rates in the cluster outskirts.
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All authors Thomas Berlok, Christoph Pfrommer, Ewald Puchwein, Rosie Talbot, Rüdiger Pakmor, Lorenzo Perrone, Rainer Weinberger, Volker Springel, Joseph Whittingham, Larissa Tevlin, Niklas Dusch, Martin Sparre
Quantum Physics
A no-go theorem for privacy in distributed sensing using Gaussian states
Jason L. Pereira and Damian Markham
In the discrete variable setting, entangled resource states allow a set of parties to learn a global function of a set of spatially separated systems, whilst keeping the local parameters of those systems completely private. In the continuous variable setting, distributed sensing has been carried out using Gaussian resource states, but without the same guarantees about
privacy. Here, we show that perfect
privacy is impossible to achieve for any distributed sensing protocol that uses Gaussian states as a resource. We also introduce a measure of relative
privacy, bounding the degree to which any Gaussian distributed sensing protocol can keep local parameters hidden.
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Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
Minhao He, Yen-Chen Tsui, Ran Peng et al. (+4 more)
In the presence of a
magnetic field, electronic states of moiré
quantum materials develop a Hofstadter spectrum that provides a unique setting for studying the interplay between band
topology and strong electron-electron interaction. Using scanning tunneling microscopy, we study Hofstadter's states in
bilayer graphene aligned with hexagonal BN and directly visualize the formation of interaction-driven
symmetry breaking Chern
insulators. Our measurements reveal the formation of phases that double, triple or quadruple the moiré unit
cell at fractional filling of the Hofstadter bands, as well as states with complex intra-unit-
cell wave functions. We visualize two distinct
quantum phenomena in different Chern states, including
quantum melting driven by the appearance and proliferation of topological defects, and a
quantum transition co-occurring with phase competition and separation.
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All authors Minhao He, Yen-Chen Tsui, Ran Peng, Kenji Watanabe, Takashi Taniguchi, Oskar Vafek, Ali Yazdani
Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
MINDS: Complementary inclinations in the binary system HK Tau reveal gas- and ice-phase chemistry
Alice Somigliana, Giulia Perotti, Nicolás T. Kurtovic et al. (+18 more)
[Abridged] HK Tau is a roughly equal mass pre-main sequence binary system consisting of a low-inclination primary (57 deg) and an edge-on (83 deg) secondary. We present JWST/MIRI observations targeting both sources, taken as part of the JWST GTO program MINDS. The spectra reveal a line-rich, CO2-dominated primary and a line-poor secondary; this evidence, albeit in line with the evolutionary-motivated trend uncovered by recent observations of binaries at MIRI wavelengths, is likely due to the different configuration of the two sources. Indeed, thermochemical disc models coupled with radiative transfer show that, at inclinations comparable to that of HK Tau B, only ionised atomic lines are expected to remain visible in the spectra. While blocking molecular emission lines, however, the edge-on configuration allows ice absorption bands to be visible against the continuum; in this framework, the HK Tau system provides an unprecedented opportunity to have a simultaneous view of the solid and gaseous component of a pair of coeval protoplanetary discs, thanks to the complementary inclination of the two sources. We detect water ice at 6.2 and 13.6um, CO2 ice at 15.2um, and NH4+ ice at 6.85um in the spectrum of HK Tau B; an additional absorption band between 8.3 and 9um is compatible with both silicate stretching and C-H bending. Neither of the two sources show signs of PAHs. Extended H2 emission is present around both discs, although much more elongated in HK Tau B. The distinctive 'X' shape centred in B, combined with the intensity, morphology, and spectral characteristics of the ionised atomic lines [Ar II], [Ne II], and [Ne III] suggests a low-velocity wind origin with a wide (~ 70 deg) semi-opening angle. The lower forbidden line fluxes and smaller extent of the H2 emission around A imply that, if a wind is launched from the primary as well, it is too cold or dense to be ionised.
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All authors Alice Somigliana, Giulia Perotti, Nicolás T. Kurtovic, Thomas Henning, Myriam Benisty, Andrew D. Sellek, Melissa McClure, Zak L. Smith, Aditya M. Arabhavi, Alessio Caratti o Garatti, Valentin Christiaens, Ewine F. van Dishoeck, Danny Gasman, Sierra L. Grant, Manuel Güdel, Till Kaeufer, Inga Kamp, Lucas Stapper, Benoît Tabone, Milou Temmink, Marissa Vlasblom
Astrophysics of Galaxies
Discovery of a Barred-Spiral Galaxy at $z_{spec}$ = 3.16 II. The Star Formation History
Yingjie Cheng, Mauro Giavalisco, Daniel Ivanov et al. (+6 more)
We present a detailed analysis of a massive barred
galaxy at $z_{spec}=3.1591$ using deep multi-band imaging from HST and JWST. For the first time, we resolve its morphology and
stellar structures thanks to the JWST/NIRCam NIR and MIR photometry. The
galaxy possesses two distinct components with significantly different colors. Through careful image decomposition and masking, we isolate and characterize the flux contribution from each component. The
galaxy exhibits a clear spiral morphology, and in a separate companion paper, we present evidence suggesting the presence of a
stellar bar. Based on spatially resolved spectral energy distribution modeling with Prospector, we derive the
star formation history and other physical properties of the bar and the surrounding regions. The total
stellar mass of the
galaxy is constrained as $\log(M_*/M_{\odot}) = 10.63\pm0.13$. We find that the bar region contains around 30% of the total
stellar mass, but only accounts for around 8% of the recent
star formation rate. The region containing the potential bar shows a significantly older mass-weighted
stellar age, supporting the inside-out scenario for
galaxy formation, and providing tentative evidence for bar quenching in the early stage. The quick onset of a
stellar bar at this
redshift requires a low dark matter fraction, suggesting the
baryon-dominated nature of high-$z$ massive
galaxies, and offering rare insight into
galaxy evolution at around two billion years after the Big Bang.
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All authors Yingjie Cheng, Mauro Giavalisco, Daniel Ivanov, Luca Costantin, Elena D'Onghia, Yuchen Guo, Shardha Jogee, John R. Weaver, Katherine E. Whitaker
Astrophysics of Galaxies
Discovery of a Barred-Spiral Galaxy at $z_{spec}$ = 3.16 I: Bar Identification and Properties
Daniel Ivanov, Mauro Giavalisco, Yingjie Cheng et al. (+6 more)
The formation of
stellar bars is an important milestone in the secular
evolution of spiral
galaxies, which typically indicates the presence of a massive rotationally supported disk. Determining when these structures first appeared in the early universe is crucial to constraining the timeline of
galactic disk assembly. Here, we report the discovery of COSMOS-74706, a barred spiral
galaxy at $z_{spec} = 3.159$. Imaging of COSMOS-74706 with JWST/NIRCam indicates a disk-like morphology and spiral structure with an elongated central feature aligned between the spiral arms, most conspicuously visible in the F200W, F277W, and F356W filters. Three independent methods all support the presence of a bar: visual inspection of residuals from Sérsic-profile fitting shows a linear structure, isophotal ellipse-fitting displays characteristic profiles of ellipticity and position angle consistent with a bar signature, and
Fourier decomposition of the
galaxy produces a central bisymmetric mode above a threshold strength calibrated to $z=1-3$ barred spirals. Leveraging archival Keck/MOSDEF spectroscopy overlapping with a blue clump on the edge of the
galaxy, a robust
redshift is inferred, with photometric constraints indicating that this structure lies at the same
redshift as the main spiral. This spectroscopic evidence, placing an unlensed barred spiral at $z>3$ supports the idea that
galaxies with rotationally supported disks and disk-
halo properties that are conducive to bar formation were already in place within 2 Gyr after the Big Bang.
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All authors Daniel Ivanov, Mauro Giavalisco, Yingjie Cheng, Yuchen Guo, Luca Costantin, Elena D'Onghia, John R. Weaver, Shardha Jogee, Katherine E. Whitaker
High Energy Physics (Phenomenology)
One Generator, Any Process: LLM-Conditioning for the LHC
Henning Bahl, Tilman Plehn, Daniel Schiller et al. (+1 more)
Neural network training for LHC event generation should, ideally, benefit from common high-level patterns in different processes. We propose novel conditioning schemes for continuous parameters, process labels, and Feynman diagrams. We employ pre-trained LLMs as multi-modal foundation models to provide descriptive
embeddings for an autoregressive
transformer. With such high-level physics-inductive bias the generative networks converge faster, provide better result, and generalize to unseen processes.
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All authors Henning Bahl, Tilman Plehn, Daniel Schiller, Thanush Sivagnanalingam
Astrophysics of Galaxies
Anisotropic quenching beyond $z=1$ and its implications for preprocessing around high-redshift galaxy clusters
Makoto Ando, Kazuhiro Shimasaku, Kei Ito et al. (+2 more)
Recent studies have shown that, within
galaxy clusters, quenched satellite
galaxies tend to be distributed preferentially along the major axis of the central
galaxy, dubbed anisotropic quenching. There are various discussions about the origin of this anisotropy: some link it to active
galactic nucleus activity in the central
galaxy, while others attribute it to the preprocessing of
galaxies within large-scale structures outside clusters. However, the definitive cause and its
redshift dependence remain unclear. In this study, we investigate anisotropic quenching with 12 spectroscopically confirmed
galaxy clusters at $0.9<z<1.4$. We calculate the quiescent satellite
galaxy fraction as a function of orientation angle measured from the central
galaxy's major axis. Although the statistical significance is modest ($\sim 2\sigma$), we detect anisotropic quenching in the highest
redshift ever. To understand the origin of the observed anisotropy, we examine the
accretion history of satellite
galaxies in a cosmological simulation. We find that, in the $z=1.25$ clusters, the majority of satellite
galaxies are recently ($\lesssim 2\,\mathrm{Gyr}$) infalled
galaxies. In addition, the orientation angles of satellites are randomized immediately after
accretion in $\sim 2\,\mathrm{Gyr}$, suggesting that only recently accreted
galaxies contribute to the observed anisotropy. We adopt a semi-analytic approach that combines the
accretion history of satellite
galaxies with a quenching model based on a delay-then-rapid quenching framework and parameterizes both intrahalo quenching and preprocessing effects. We find that preprocessing is the dominant contributor to quenching and that the quenched fraction attributable to preprocessing is higher along the major axis than along the minor axis by $\sim20\%$, reproducing the observed anisotropic quenching signal.
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All authors Makoto Ando, Kazuhiro Shimasaku, Kei Ito, Takumi S. Tanaka, Suin Matsui
Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
Discovery of an Exterior Third Planet Orbiting $\beta$ Pictoris
Aidan Gibbs, Jean-Baptiste Ruffio, Alexis Bidot et al. (+9 more)
We report the discovery of $\beta$ Pictoris d ($\beta$ Pic d), a third
giant planet in the $\beta$ Pictoris system, which now becomes only the second directly imaged system with more than two confirmed
planets. $\beta$ Pic d was serendipitously detected in JWST/NIRSpec IFU observations. A second epoch of NIRSpec and MIRI/MRS observations confirm the initial discovery. The extracted spectrum shows clear CH$_4$, CO, and H$_2$O absorption features, and $\beta$ Pic d's measured radial velocity is consistent with its orbital position. Radial velocity and astrometry measurements combined with orbital stability simulations suggest a semi-major axis $>$30 au, consistent with $\beta$ Pic d being responsible for carving the inner edge of the $\beta$ Pictoris debris disk. Using effective temperature estimates from atmosphere model grid fits combined with evolutionary models, we estimate a mass of 2–4 $M_\mathrm{Jup}$. $\beta$ Pic d is the first
planet discovered using spectral template matching with moderate-resolution spectroscopy, highlighting its sensitivity to planetary molecular features hidden within bright extrasolar debris disks that are difficult to access with broadband imaging.
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All authors Aidan Gibbs, Jean-Baptiste Ruffio, Alexis Bidot, Travis S. Barman, Clarissa R. Do Ó, Quinn M. Konopacky, Marshall D. Perrin, Aneesh Baburaj, Beck Dacus, Bruce Macintosh, Alexander B. Madurowicz, Jerry W. Xuan
Astrophysics of Galaxies
Red vs. Blue: How metallicity shapes black hole dynamics and mergers in dense star clusters
Saloni Agrawal, Kyle Kremer, Michael Zevin et al. (+6 more)
Dense
star clusters are a well-established environment for the formation of gravitational wave sources through dynamical interactions. Recent LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA (LVK) events such as GW241011 and GW241110 provide some of the best evidence yet for a dynamical origin. However, their relatively low component masses are in tension with predictions from low-
metallicity globular cluster models (which typically produce more massive black holes), hinting that these events may have originated in higher-
metallicity environments. Here we present a new set of Monte Carlo
star cluster simulations with refined coverage in
metallicity, focusing specifically on clusters with [Fe/H] $\geq-1$, similar to the ”red” globular cluster subpopulation observed in most
galaxies. We show that
metallicity has a significant effect on the mass function of black holes and black hole mergers, the total number of black hole mergers per cluster, black hole retention from natal kicks, the mass segregation time for black-hole-driven cluster dynamics, and the merger delay time distribution. We also show that high-
metallicity cluster models produce low-mass hierarchical mergers consistent with the mass ratios and component masses of GW241011 and GW241110, motivating the importance of high-
metallicity clusters in the astrophysical interpretation of future LVK catalogs.
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All authors Saloni Agrawal, Kyle Kremer, Michael Zevin, Cailin Plunkett, Elena González Prieto, Fulya K{\i}roğlu, Christopher E. O'Connor, Frederic A. Rasio, Claire S. Ye
High Energy Physics (Phenomenology)
Multi-peaked high-frequency gravitational waves from PBH-assisted leptogenesis
Debasish Borah and Nayan Das
We study the possibility of probing non-thermal leptogenesis with multi-peaked high-frequency gravitational waves (GW) by considering heavy right-handed
neutrino (RHN) produced from
primordial black hole (PBH) evaporation to be responsible for generating the required
lepton asymmetry. The decay of RHN also produces a GW spectrum due to graviton bremsstrahlung with the corresponding amplitude being enhanced for heavier RHN. The presence of an ultra-light PBH dominated epoch not only ensures sufficient production of RHNs, but also keeps the leptogenesis scenario free from strong washout problem of thermal leptogenesis at very high scale. In addition, the PBH dominated epoch also helps in generating a gravitational bremsstrahlung spectrum distinct from the
stochastic GW background from the thermal bath. Finally, PBH evaporation also brings two separate sources of GW via density perturbation and graviton emission via Hawking evaporation. For the most optimistic scenario with very high scale seesaw consistent with
neutrino mass and leptogenesis, this leads to a multi-peaked GW spectrum with peak frequencies lying in the MHz-EHz range.
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High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
A Collapsar-Disk Origin for GW190814
Vishal Baibhav, Brian D. Metzger and Lam Hui
GW190814 was a remarkable gravitational-wave (GW) event: a merger between a $23 M_\odot$ black hole (BH) and a $2.6\,M_\odot$ compact object, with an extreme mass ratio that is difficult to reproduce through standard isolated-binary or dynamical formation channels. Recent work has shown that
neutrino-cooled collapsar disks can become gravitationally unstable and fragment, producing
neutron stars (NSs) or low-mass BHs in orbit around the newly formed central BH. These fragments may subsequently interact, scatter, merge with one another, or inspiral into the central remnant. We explore the possibility that GW190814 originated from such a collapsar-disk fragment merging with the central BH. A key prediction of this scenario is a temporal association with a stripped-envelope
supernova preceding the GW event, and we identify the Type Ib
supernova candidate SN2019npv, which occurred inside the GW190814 credible volume approximately 60 days before coalescence, as a possible electromagnetic precursor. Although this delay is too long for a conventional kilonova counterpart, we show that three-body interactions among disk fragments can excite some compact objects to wide orbits and produce merger delays of weeks to months. While GW190814 itself was not expected to produce detectable
tidal-disruption-powered emission, future delayed mergers in this channel could generate luminous transients through either reprocessed kilonova heating or shocks driven as merger ejecta collide with the preceding
supernova ejecta. Finally, treating SN2019npv as the electromagnetic counterpart makes GW190814 a bright standard siren and yields $H_{0} = 71.1^{+9.3}_{-7.5} km s^{-1}Mpc^{-1}$.
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High Energy Physics (Theory)
Controlled Chaos in 4D SCFTs
Florent Baume, Atakan Çavuşoğlu, Vivek Chakrabhavi et al. (+1 more)
Chaotic dynamics play an important role in a number of physical systems. One of the qualitative hallmarks of this behavior is the appearance of a sufficiently "complex" spectrum of energy levels. This also makes it challenging to directly verify the onset of chaos in interacting
quantum field theories. We present a class of 4D superconformal field theories (SCFTs) given by orbifolds of 4D $\mathcal{N} = 4$ Super Yang–Mills theory in which operator mixing in a controlled subsector is described by an effective
spin chain in one spatial dimension with nearest neighbor interactions tuned by the marginal couplings of the SCFT. Tuning the marginal couplings results in a chaotic spectrum, while generically the
spin chain exhibits Anderson localization. We diagnose the onset of chaos by analyzing the statistical distribution of
eigenvalues of the dilatation operator, in particular properties such as
eigenvalue level repulsion, spectral
rigidity, and the spectral form factor. We also show that other diagnostics such as Krylov complexity sometimes do not faithfully capture this information. This structure defines a chaotic billiard in the target space of the stringy realization. We also comment on the large $N$
holographic dual description, where the controlled single
spin chain approximation must be supplemented by multi-trace dynamics, i.e., the splitting and joining of multiple
spin chains.
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All authors Florent Baume, Atakan Çavuşoğlu, Vivek Chakrabhavi, Jonathan J. Heckman
High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
First Results from the LSST Shadow Survey: The Restless Luminous Blue Variable AT2017des in the Virgo-Cluster Galaxy, NGC4532
Conor L. Ransome, Bhagya M. Subrayan, David J. Sand et al. (+66 more)
The Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) will start in late-summer 2026, revolutionizing transient astronomy. Here, we present the Dark Energy Camera (DECam) Shadow Survey, which is designed to maximize the science potential of LSST by shadowing LSST observations of local
galaxy-cluster fields, producing a nightly cadence of these fields. The Shadow Survey will discover extremely young
supernovae (SNe), SN precursors, as well as other explosive transients and exotic phenomena, helping to characterize such transients at unprecedented cadence and depth when combined with LSST. We describe our workflow, pipeline, public data releases, and candidate vetting. As an early result of Shadow, we present the fitful luminous blue variable (LBV) eruptions of AT2017des in the Virgo-Cluster
galaxy NGC4532. AT2017des has short-timescale variability (of order 10 days), peaking at around $M_r=-12.5$mag, brighter than normal LBVs, and similar to the more extreme flaring of hot LBVs/SN impostors such as SN2000ch, AT2016blu, and the precursor activity of SN2009ip. Our spectral time-series reveals features typical of these hot LBVs and SN impostors/precursors. Combining our data with long-baseline photometry from additional observatories, we find that the peaks of the outbursts of AT2017des are getting brighter over time, with 2026 peak fluxes being up to 5 times greater than in 2023 and an average brightening of $\sim0.05$ mag yr$^{-1}$. The peaks of AT2017des are more luminous than those of most other LBVs, only being fainter than bright precursors such as SN2009ip, and extreme SN impostors such as AT2016blu. AT2017des may therefore be “ramping up” to a terminal explosion.
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All authors Conor L. Ransome, Bhagya M. Subrayan, David J. Sand, Brian Hsu, Xander J. Hall, Jeniveve Pearson, K. Azalee Bostroem, Jennifer E. Andrews, Joszef Vinko, J. Craig Wheeler, Phillip Noel, Lei Hu, Tomas Cabrera, Stefano Valenti, Wynn V. Jacobson-Galan, Nathan Smith, Alexei V. Filippenko, Mojgan Aghakhanloo, Igor Andreoni, Moira Andrews, Iair Arcavi, Raphael Baer-Way, Emma R. Beasor, Edo Berger, Federica B. Bianco, Peter Blanchard, Thomas G. Brink, Siddarth Chaini, Adrian Crawford, Yize Dong, Joseph Farah, Noah Franz, Sebastian Gomez, Melissa L. Graham, Daichi Hiramatsu, Agoston Horti-David, Griffin Hosseinzadeh, D. Andrew Howell, Philip A. James, Saurabh W. Jha, Charles D. Kilpatrick, Lindsey A. Kwok, Gavin P. Lamb, Amanda R. Lopes, Michael Lundquist, Clara E. Martinez-Vasquez, Thomas Matheson, Curtis McCully, Maryam Modjaz, Gregory S. H. Paek, Antonella Palmese, Avi Patel, Joanne L. Pledger, Aravind P. Ravi, Jeonghee Rho, Krisztian Sarneczky, Manisha Shrestha, Richard Smith, Analia V. Smith Castelli, Monika Soraisam, Jay Strader, Francisco Valdes, Sergiy Vasylyev, V. Ashley Villar, A. Katherina Vivas, Lifan Wang, Samuel D. Wyatt, Kathryn Wynn, WeiKang Zheng
Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics
GalSBI: Forward Modelling Galaxy Clustering and Population
Silvan Fischbacher, Luca Tortorelli, Tomasz Kacprzak et al. (+1 more)
Forward modelling is a powerful approach for analyzing large-scale structure surveys. For this purpose, we extend the GalSBI framework to jointly model the
galaxy population and clustering using an efficient subhalo abundance matching scheme based on optimal transport. We use simulation-based inference to constrain the model parameters by comparing UFig image simulations with DES Y3 imaging data. As a validation, we find that
galaxy photometry and morphology agree well with multi-band imaging data of different depths, namely DES and HSC deep fields.
Galaxy clustering for simulation and data is also in good agreement when comparing the angular power spectrum for different magnitude and color cuts. We further compare simulated
redshift distributions against high-precision photometric
redshifts in HSC deep field imaging of the COSMOS field. We find the
redshift distributions across magnitude cuts to be similar to previous work, however with more realistic uncertainty modelling due to the addition of clustering contribution to sample variance. The agreement of the mean
redshifts with data is very good, between $0.2\sigma$ and $1.6\sigma$ for different magnitude cuts, with sample variance being the dominant uncertainty contributor in bright samples ($<24$ mag) and subdominant compared to
galaxy population model uncertainty in fainter samples. As a byproduct we measure the
galaxy luminosity function and
galaxy-
halo connection, which are broadly consistent with existing literature. The updated GalSBI code and
galaxy population model are publicly available. They enable accurate forward-modelled image simulations with realistic clustering, which can be used to model the effect of sample variance, source clustering,
redshift distributions, and blending in large-scale-structure surveys. This makes GalSBI a powerful tool for the analysis of current and next-generation cosmological
galaxy surveys.
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All authors Silvan Fischbacher, Luca Tortorelli, Tomasz Kacprzak, Alexandre Refregier
General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
New Rotating Black Hole in Electromagnetic Fields: Cosmological Horizon without Cosmological Constant
Liang Ma and H. Lu
We obtain a new electrovacuum and related background spacetime that contains a cosmological horizon supported entirely by the electromagnetic field. The local solution belongs to the Kundt class of type D, but is globally distinct. We further construct an exact solution describing a Kerr black hole in this background. We study the global structure including horizons and singularities, and derive the first law of black hole thermodynamics. The emergence of a cosmological horizon in Einstein-Maxwell
gravity without invoking a positive cosmological constant or dark energy is tantalizing, and may provide a new avenue for exploring cosmological and astrophysical phenomena related to black holes and the late-time cosmology.
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Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics
Accurate modeling for 3$\times$2pt analyses in Roman and Rubin: a study of model approximations
Junzhou Zhang, Chihway Chang, Jiachuan Xu et al. (+6 more)
One of the pillars of modern cosmology is the use of
galaxy imaging surveys to extract information from the large-scale structure. In recent surveys, this measurement is typically performed through a 3$\times$2pt analysis, which combines auto- and cross-correlations between
galaxy density and
galaxy weak
lensing. In this paper, we carry out a systematic study of three modeling approximations commonly used in such analyses: 1) applying the Limber approximation, 2) neglecting
redshift-space distortions, and 3) using less accurate models for the nonlinear matter power spectrum. We carry out the study in the context of the final data from two major Stage-IV
galaxy imaging surveys: the Nancy Grace Roman Space
Telescope's High Latitude Imaging Survey and the Vera C. Rubin Observatory's Legacy Survey of Space and Time. To do this, we first validate our modeling pipeline, implemented in the software package CoCoA, against an established code base, CCL. Next, we perform a simulated likelihood analysis to assess the impact of these approximations on the cosmological constraints. We find all three effects to be important; neglecting any of them can induce biases in cosmological constraints approaching or exceeding $1\sigma$, and exceeding $2\sigma$ for Rubin in several cases. Moreover, we explore how the lens-
galaxy sample configuration and scale-cut choice can influence the constraints.
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All authors Junzhou Zhang, Chihway Chang, Jiachuan Xu, Vivian Miranda, Chun-Hao To, Haley Bowden, Kaili Cao, Tim Eifler, Roman HLIS Cosmology PIT
High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
Signatures of $^{56}$Ni Mixing and Neutron-rich Ejecta in Supernovae
Nikhil Sarin
Supernova lightcurves are often interpreted with one-zone radioactive-decay models that ignore a key variable that can affect interpretation and inferred parameters: the distribution of radioactive material. Using a multi-shell model, we explore the impact of $^{56}$Ni mixing in
supernovae and r-process material in collapsars. Moving $^{56}$Ni outward reduces the overlying
diffusion column, producing faster and brighter rises at fixed $\Mni$, $\Mej$, and $\Ek$, and changes the tail through local gamma-ray leakage. A fast, bright rise is not, by itself, evidence for low ejecta mass or a requirement for engine power, with significant overlap between highly mixed and engine-powered lightcurves. One-zone fits to mixed bolometric light curves produce visually good fits but biased parameters. At fixed opacity, outward mixing is absorbed mainly by low inferred $\Mej$ and high inferred $f_{\rm Ni}$, while $\Mni$ remains stable. If opacity is free, the fully mixed case is recovered with $\kappa^{\rm fit}/\kappa^{\rm input}\simeq0.24$. These shifts affect inferred explosion energies and progenitor mappings, and amplified in photometric fits. Exploring collapsar r-process enrichment, we find that the signature is not always a NIR excess and depends sensitively on the nickel-powered background, radial placement, angular distribution, and viewing angle of
neutron-rich ejecta. In our setup, spherical models often show optical suppression and delayed colour
evolution. Our disk-wind models suggest that fast-rising on-axis GRB-SNe are poor r-process targets for equatorially confined
neutron-rich winds, and become constraining only if the r-process material reaches latitudes $\gtrsim 30^\circ$ from the equatorial plane.
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High Energy Physics (Theory)
Excitability of Gaussian states with VEVs
Jacqueline Caminiti, Federico Capeccia and Jonathan Sorce
In arXiv:2604.19861, we gave general criteria for when one zero-mean Gaussian state can be excited out of another in a (generalized) free field theory. Here we extend this analysis to the case of nonzero mean, i.e., to Gaussian states with
vacuum expectation values (VEVs). We prove that excitability is possible exactly when (i) the connected two-point functions satisfy criteria like those in arXiv:2604.19861, and (ii) the difference of the VEVs is bounded relative to the two-point functions. As an application, we give an explicit computation showing that in anti-de Sitter spacetime, a VEV shift can be excited from the Klein-Gordon
vacuum if and only if its boundary extrapolation can be excited from the
vacuum of the dual conformal field theory.
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Astrophysics of Galaxies
Constraints on the Gas Geometry Surrounding Little Red Dots through Narrow-Line Diagnostics
Visal Sok, Erica J. Nelson, Mitchell C. Begelman et al. (+10 more)
Little Red Dots (LRDs) are a recently identified population of high-
redshift sources, with a common interpretation being accreting black holes embedded within a spherical, optically thick gas envelope. Within this framework, some models propose that the continuum arises from the dense-gas envelope, where hard ionizing radiation from the central engine is reprocessed into a
stellar-like photosphere with an effective temperature of $\sim$5000 K. This implies that both the UV continuum and narrow-line emission are then powered by the host
galaxy rather than an exposed central engine. To test whether this is consistent with the observed narrow-line ratios, we analyze multiple line diagnostics for a sample of $\sim$20 LRDs with high signal-to-noise NIRSpec grating spectra. We find that at least 40% of the LRDs have line ratios pointing toward high ionization parameter and electron temperature, with a further 15% also falling in the AGN regime for the Oi/H$\alpha$ diagnostic, indicative of harder ionizing radiation. These line ratios are incompatible with
stellar photoionization from a
star-forming host alone. This suggests lower density channels within the gas envelope through which high energy
photons can escape and excite the surrounding narrow-line emitting gas. At the same time, most LRDs lack strong high-ionization line emission, with He\,ii/H$\beta$ $\lesssim0.1$, consistent with an ionizing spectrum softer than that of a standard AGN. Together, these results disfavour a uniform gas envelope with a covering fraction of unity, and instead point to a more complex geometry that gives rise to anisotropic ionizing radiation.
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All authors Visal Sok, Erica J. Nelson, Mitchell C. Begelman, Jason Dexter, Francesco D'Eugenio, Jenny E. Greene, Joel Leja, Katherine E. Whitaker, Andrew J. Bunker, Pablo G. Pérez-González, Pierluigi Rinaldi, Alberto Torralba, Hannah Übler
Quantum Physics
Sebastian Murk, Ian Tan, Fabian Müller et al. (+1 more)
Quantum tomography and
quantum retrodiction are traditionally viewed as separate inference tasks. We show that the two are manifestations of the same underlying principle. We prove that the Petz recovery map of a measurement channel is a gradient of the log-likelihood used in maximum-likelihood
tomography, and we derive its extension to arbitrary
quantum channels. Consequently, for measurement channels, repeated applications of the Petz map monotonically increase the likelihood, naturally yielding a method for
quantum tomography.
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All authors Sebastian Murk, Ian Tan, Fabian Müller, Dominik Šafránek