arXiv subjects

Eduardo S. Fraga

Publications and source records attributed to Eduardo S. Fraga.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Static linear response of hot and dense QCD matter to electromagnetic fields: Leading hard and soft QCD corrections

We compute the static electromagnetic susceptibilities of a hot and dense quark-gluon plasma using perturbative Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD). Our evaluation includes the leading $\mathcal{O}(α_s)$ correction as well as the leading soft, resummed contribution of $\mathcal{O}(α_s^{3/2})$ within electrostatic QCD. By matching to Lattice QCD at vanishing baryon chemical potential through Lattice perturbation theory, we establish a connection between perturbative results and Lattice simulations and assess the size of higher-order corrections. This extends the electromagnetic susceptibilities to finite baryon chemical potential, where Lattice methods are not applicable and establishes first-principle constraints on the quark-gluon plasma's electromagnetic response at temperatures and densities relevant for intermediate-energy heavy-ion collisions.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2026

Stability of hybrid stars via catastrophe theory

We discuss the possible topologies of the mass-radius relation for hybrid stars in light of catastrophe theory. We show that different branches of compact stars emerge or disappear depending on the bifurcation structure of the underlying catastrophe potential function, the mathematical analog of an effective potential. For that we assume a single first-order phase transition between nuclear and quark matter. After a warm up with incompressible fluids, we present a qualitative discussion explaining the (dis)appearance of (un)stable branches for hybrid stars as the control parameters change.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2026

Signatures from pion condensation and lepton flavor asymmetries in the cosmological gravitational wave background

Large lepton flavor asymmetries at the QCD epoch could generate a pion condensation phase in the early Universe. For large enough tau lepton flavor asymmetries, the speed of sound can exceed the conformal value, leaving a distinctive imprint on the low-frequency gravitational wave (GW) spectrum from causal sources. Beyond probing the formation of a pion condensation phase, the detection or non-detection of this signature in future Pulsar Timing Arrays (PTAs) datasets would provide a novel constraint on lepton asymmetries in the early Universe. We determine the corresponding GW spectrum and its tilt, comparing them with the standard case of vanishing lepton asymmetry. Finally, we discuss the implications for the stochastic GW background reported by PTAs, using the NANOGrav 15-year dataset.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2026

Semi-analytic bounds on axion-like-particle supernovae emission

Core-collapse supernovae provide natural laboratories for the production of new light particles. In particular, axion-like particles (ALPs) can be constrained via SN1987A cooling arguments. However, significant astrophysical and nuclear uncertainties imply that such bounds may vary strongly depending on modeling choices, even when expensive simulations are employed. In this context, semi-analytic methods offer a simple and fast alternative for deriving new-physics constraints. Building on a previous semi-analytic framework, in which proto-neutron star (PNS) observables are expressed in terms of six global PNS parameters, we include a finite ALP mass in the calculation and derive bounds in the axion-nucleon coupling versus mass plane. The obtained bounds are in good agreement with previous results from numerical simulations, demonstrating the robustness of the method. We also illustrate the sensitivity of the bounds to different PNS parameter calibrations, nuclear effects and cooling exclusion criteria.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2026

Cooling of quark stars from perturbative QCD

We investigate the thermal evolution of quark stars with and without a hadronic crust using an equation of state derived from perturbative QCD that incorporates the running of the strong coupling and the strange quark mass. Our analysis reveals that bare quark stars cool too rapidly to match the luminosity data, including those of the coldest observed isolated neutron stars, even when the uncertainty from the renormalization scale is taken into account. In contrast, configurations featuring a hadronic crust exhibit slower cooling and improved agreement with observational data. We also observe that the cooling band for bare quark stars narrows significantly after $t \sim 1$ year, whereas the configurations with a crust exhibit a larger uncertainty throughout their time evolution.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2026

Transport coefficients of chiral fluid dynamics using low-energy effective models

We investigate the first-order transport coefficients of a fluid made of quasiparticles with a temperature-dependent mass extracted from chiral models. We describe this system using an effective kinetic theory, given by the relativistic Boltzmann equation coupled to a temperature-dependent background field determined from the thermal masses. We then simplify the collision term using the relaxation time approximation and implement a Chapman-Enskog expansion to calculate all first-order transport coefficients. In particular, we compute the bulk and shear viscosities using thermal masses extracted from the linear sigma model coupled with constituent quarks and the NJL model.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2026

Susceptibilities and Taylor coefficients of magnetic QCD from perturbation theory

We compute the coefficients $c_2(T,B)$ and $c_4(T,B)$ of the Taylor expansion for the pressure in powers of $μ_B/T$ in the presence of a large magnetic field within perturbative QCD at finite temperature and baryon density up to two-loops for $N_f=3$ flavors with physical quark masses. We also present results for the excess of pressure, baryon density and baryon number susceptibility as functions of $μ_B$, as well as susceptibilities as functions of the temperature in the $\{ μ_B,μ_Q,μ_S \}$ basis. Our results can be directly compared to recent lattice QCD data. Even though current lattice results do not overlap with its region of validity, perturbative results seem to be compatible with those obtained on the lattice for large temperatures.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2025

Chiral symmetry breaking and pion condensation in the early universe

We determine the possible trajectories the universe may have followed in the QCD phase diagram during the QCD epoch. We focus on the roles of chiral symmetry breaking and pion condensation under high imbalances in lepton asymmetry. Adopting the quark-meson model as an effective description of QCD at finite temperature, charge and baryon chemical potentials we show that, for sufficiently large but physically motivated asymmetries, the universe may have entered the pion condensation phase through a first-order phase transition, followed by a second-order phase transition when exiting it. Such a first-order phase transition represents a new possible source of primordial gravitational waves during the QCD epoch.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2025

Hot and dense pQCD in a very strong magnetic background

We compute the pressure, chiral condensate and strange quark number susceptibility from perturbative QCD up to two-loop order at finite temperature and very high magnetic fields with physical quark masses. We also discuss the case of cold and dense quark matter in the presence of a very strong magnetic field and constraints for quark magnetars.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2024

Strongly interacting matter in extreme magnetic fields

Magnetic fields are ubiquitous across different physical systems of current interest; from the early Universe, compact astrophysical objects and heavy-ion collisions to condensed matter systems. A proper treatment of the effects produced by magnetic fields during the dynamical evolution of these systems, can help to understand observables that otherwise show a puzzling behavior. Furthermore, when these fields are comparable to or stronger than Λ_QCD, they serve as excellent probes to help elucidate the physics of strongly interacting matter under extreme conditions of temperature and density. In this work we provide a comprehensive review of recent developments on the description of QED and QCD systems where magnetic field driven effects are important. These include the modification of meson static properties such as masses and form factors, the chiral magnetic effect, the description of anomalous transport coefficients, superconductivity in extreme magnetic fields, the properties of neutron stars, the evolution of heavy-ion collisions, as well as effects on the QCD phase diagram. We describe recent theory and phenomenological developments using effective models as well as LQCD methods. The work represents a state-of-the-art review of the field, motivated by presentations and discussions during the "Workshop on Strongly Interacting Matter in Strong Electromagnetic Fields" that took place in the European Centre for Theoretical Studies in Nuclear Physics and Related Areas (ECT*) in the city of Trento, Italy, September 25-29, 2023.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2024

Quark anomalous magnetic moment in an extreme magnetic background from perturbative QCD

We compute the one-loop QCD correction to the photon-quark-antiquark vertex in an extremely strong magnetic background, i.e., one in which $\sqrt{eB}$ is much larger than all other mass scales. We resort to the lowest-Landau level approximation, and consider on shell fermions. We find that the total magnetic moment is such that the anomalous magnetic moment contributes to the electric part $\sim iE_3σ_3$, the other contributions to $\boldsymbol{B}\cdot\boldsymbolσ$ and $i\boldsymbol{E}\cdot\boldsymbolσ_\perp$ being completely suppressed. We show results for the anomalous magnetic moment of quarks up and down, scaled by their values in the vacuum, as a function of the external magnetic field, considering dressed gluons and a renormalization scale $μ_\mathrm{\tiny \overline{ MS}}=\sqrt{|eB|}$.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2024

Cold and dense perturbative QCD in a very strong magnetic background

We compute the pressure from first principles within perturbative QCD at finite baryon density and very high magnetic fields up to two-loops and with physical quark masses. The region of validity for our framework is given by $m_s \ll μ_q \ll \sqrt{eB}$, where $m_s$ is the strange quark mass, $μ_q$ is the quark chemical potential, $e$ is the fundamental electric charge, and $B$ is the magnetic field strength. We include the effects of the renormalization scale in the running coupling, $α_s (μ_q,\sqrt{eB})$, and running strange quark mass. We also discuss the simplifications that come about in the chiral limit. The effectively negligible contribution of the exchange diagram allows for building a simple analytic model for the equation of state for pure quark magnetars and computing their mass and radius at very large values of $B$. These results provide constraints on the behavior of the maximum mass and associated radius from perturbative QCD. We also discuss the magnetic bag model for extreme magnetic fields.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2024

Power corrections to the photon polarization tensor in a hot and dense medium of massive fermions

We compute the $\mathcal{O}(k^2)$ terms (power corrections) of the photon polarization tensor in a hot and dense medium of particles with a small but finite mass, i.e., $0< m\ll T, μ$. We perform our calculations within the hard thermal loop approximation in the real-time formalism, and evaluate the first nonzero mass corrections. For a renormalization scale $\barΛ\sim T$, these mass contributions determine the temperature dependence of the power corrections. These results have direct implications in the computation of electric and magnetic susceptibilities of hot and dense media in equilibrium. We address such implications and make comparisons with previous results.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2024

SU(3) parity doubling in cold neutron star matter

We present a phenomenological model to investigate the chiral phase transition characterized by parity doubling in dense, beta equilibrated, cold matter. Our model incorporates effective interactions constrained by SU(3) relations and considers baryonic degrees of freedom. By constraining the model with astrophysical data and nuclear matter properties, we find a first-order phase transition within realistic values of the slope parameter L. The inclusion of the baryon octet and negative parity partners, along with a chiral-invariant mass $m_{0}$, allows for a non-massless chiral symmetric phase. Through exploration of parameter space, we identify parameter sets satisfying mass and radius constraints without requiring a partonic phase. The appearance of the parity partner of the nucleon, the N(1535) resonance, suppresses strangeness, pushing hyperonization to higher densities. We observe a mild first-order phase transition to the chirally restored phase, governed by $m_{0}$. Our calculations of surface tension highlight its strong dependence on $m_{0}$. The existence of mixed phases is ruled out since they become energetically too costly. We compare stars with metastable and stable cores using both branches of the equation of state. Despite limited lifespans due to low surface tension values, phase conversion and star contraction could impact neutron stars with masses around 1.3 solar masses or more. We discuss some applications of this model in its non-zero temperatures generalization and scenarios beyond beta equilibrium that can provide insights into core-collapse supernovae, proto-neutron star evolution, and neutron star mergers. Core-collapse supernovae dynamics, influenced by chiral symmetry restoration and exotic hadronic states, affect explosion mechanisms and nucleosynthesis.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2023

Hot perturbative QCD in a very strong magnetic background

We compute the pressure, chiral condensate and strange quark number susceptibility from first principles within perturbative QCD at finite temperature and very high magnetic fields up to next-to-leading order and physical quark masses. The region of validity for our framework is given by $m_s \ll T \ll \sqrt{eB}$, where $m_s$ is the strange quark mass, $e$ is the fundamental electric charge, $T$ is the temperature, and $B$ is the magnetic field strength. We study the convergence of the perturbative series for the pressure for different choices of renormalization scale in the running coupling, $α_s (T,B)$. Our results for the chiral condensate and strange quark number susceptibility can be directly compared to recent lattice QCD data away from the chiral transition. Even though current lattice results do not overlap with the region of validity above, perturbative results seem to be in the same ballpark.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2023

Analytic approach to axion-like-particle emission in core-collapse supernovae

We investigate the impact of a presumed axion-like-particle (ALP) emission in a core-collapse supernova explosion on neutrino luminosities and mean energies employing a relatively simple analytic description. We compute the nuclear Bremsstrahlung and Primakoff axion luminosities as functions of the protoneutron star (PNS) parameters and discuss how the ALP luminosities compete with the neutrino emission, modifying the total PNS thermal energy dissipation. Our results are publicly available in the python package ARtiSANS, which can be used to compute the neutrino and axion observables for different choices of parameters.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2023

Strange magnetars admixed with fermionic dark matter

We discuss strange stars admixed with fermionic dark matter in the presence of a strong magnetic field using the two-fluid Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkov equations. We describe strange quark matter using the MIT bag model and consider magnetic fields in the range $\sim 10^{17}-10^{18}$ G. For the fermionic dark matter, we consider the cases of free particles and strongly self-interacting particles, with dark fermion masses $m=5, 100, 500$ GeV. We discuss the effects of dark matter and a strong magnetic field on the masses and radii of the stars, as well as on its tidal deformability. Even though strong magnetic fields contribute to decreasing the total mass of the star, they attenuate the rate of decrease in the maximum mass brought about by increasing the dark matter fraction in the admixed system. The most intensely affected observable, however, is the tidal deformability, with variations on the range of $70\%-90\%$ for reasonable values of the magnetic field or dark matter central energy density.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2022

Long Range Plan: Dense matter theory for heavy-ion collisions and neutron stars

Since the release of the 2015 Long Range Plan in Nuclear Physics, major events have occurred that reshaped our understanding of quantum chromodynamics (QCD) and nuclear matter at large densities, in and out of equilibrium. The US nuclear community has an opportunity to capitalize on advances in astrophysical observations and nuclear experiments and engage in an interdisciplinary effort in the theory of dense baryonic matter that connects low- and high-energy nuclear physics, astrophysics, gravitational waves physics, and data science

nucl-th↗