arXiv subjects

Leonardo Cosmai

Publications and source records attributed to Leonardo Cosmai.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2025

Flux tubes in QCD at finite temperature

We present results for the chromo-electric field generated by a static quark-antiquark pair at finite temperature, in lattice QCD with 2+1 dynamical staggered fermions at physical quark masses. We investigate the evolution of the field as the temperature increases through and beyond the chiral transition. For all the temperatures considered we find clear evidence of a chromo-magnetic current and of a longitudinal nonperturbative chromo-electric field that stays almost uniform along the flux tube. In the high-temperature region the magnitude of the flux-tube field is determined by an effective string tension that decreases exponentially as the temperature increases, while the flux-tube width decreases according to an inverse-temperature law. Our results suggest that beyond the chiral pseudocritical temperature the quark-antiquark system can be characterized by a screened string tension.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2024

Investigating the flux tube structure within full QCD

A characteristic signature of quark confinement is the concentration of the chromoelectric field between a static quark-antiquark pair in a flux tube. Here we report on lattice measurements of field distributions on smeared Monte Carlo ensembles in QCD with (2+1) HISQ flavors. We measure the field distributions for several distances between static quark-antiquark sources, ranging from 0.6 fm up to the distance where the color string is expected to break.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2024

QCD with (2+1) flavors at the physical point in external chromomagnetic fields

We investigate full QCD with (2+1)-flavour of HISQ fermions at the physical point in the presence of uniform Abelian chromomagnetic background fields. Our focus is on the renormalized light and strange chiral condensate around the pseudo-critical temperature. We find that in the confined region the gauge system is subjected to the chromomagnetic catalysis that turns into the inverse catalysis in the high-temperature regime. We further observe that the chiral condensates are subjected to the so-called thermal hysteresis. Our estimate of the deconfinement temperature indicates that the critical temperature begins to decrease in the small field region, soon after it seems to saturate and finally increase with the strength of the chromomagnetic field.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2023

Phase Transitions in Particle Physics -- Results and Perspectives from Lattice Quantum Chromo-Dynamics

Phase transitions in a non-perturbative regime can be studied by ab initio Lattice Field Theory methods. The status and future research directions for LFT investigations of Quantum Chromo-Dynamics under extreme conditions are reviewed, including properties of hadrons and of the hypothesized QCD axion as inferred from QCD topology in different phases. We discuss phase transitions in strong interactions in an extended parameter space, and the possibility of model building for Dark Matter and Electro-Weak Symmetry Breaking. Methodological challenges are addressed as well, including new developments in Artificial Intelligence geared towards the identification of different phases and transitions.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2023

Comment on "A fractal LTB model cannot explain Dark Energy''

We reply to the criticisms moved in [1] against our results presented in [2]. In particular, we show that our fractal model has none of the problems claimed in [1]. The latters can be addressed to the overlooked nonlinear behaviour of the Einstein's equations.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2023

Dynamical quantum phase transitions of the Schwinger model: real-time dynamics on IBM Quantum

Simulating real-time dynamics of gauge theories represents a paradigmatic use case to test the hardware capabilities of a quantum computer, since it can involve non-trivial input states preparation, discretized time evolution, long-distance entanglement, and measurement in a noisy environment. We implement an algorithm to simulate the real-time dynamics of a few-qubit system that approximates the Schwinger model in the framework of lattice gauge theories, with specific attention to the occurrence of a dynamical quantum phase transition. Limitations in the simulation capabilities on IBM Quantum are imposed by noise affecting the application of single-qubit and two-qubit gates, which combine in the decomposition of Trotter evolution. The experimental results collected in quantum algorithm runs on IBM Quantum are compared with noise models to characterize the performance in the absence of error mitigation.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2022

Second resonance of the Higgs field: more signals from the LHC experiments

Theoretical arguments and lattice simulations suggest that, beside the known resonance of mass $m_h=$ 125 GeV, the Higgs field might exhibit a second resonance with a larger mass $(M_H)^{\rm theor} = 690 \pm 10 ~({\rm stat}) \pm 20 ~({\rm sys})~ {\rm GeV}$ which, however, would couple to longitudinal W's with the same typical strength as the low-mass state at 125 GeV and thus represent a relatively narrow resonance mainly produced at LHC by gluon-gluon fusion. By looking for some evidence in the LHC data, we argue that the existence of a new resonance in the predicted mass region finds support in two analyses by ATLAS (searching for heavy resonances decaying into final states with 4 charged leptons or $γγ$ pairs) and in more recent CMS results (searching for heavy resonances decaying into a pair of $h(125)$ bosons or looking for $γγ$ pairs produced in $pp$ double-diffractive scattering). Since the correlation of these measurements is very small and since, having some definite theoretical prediction, local deviations from the pure background are not downgraded by the look-elsewhere effect, we emphasize the instability of the present situation that could probably be resolved by just adding two crucial, missing samples of RUN2 data.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2022

Experimental signals for a second resonance of the Higgs field

In the region of invariant mass 620$÷$740 GeV, we have analyzed the ATLAS sample of 4-lepton events that could indicate a new scalar resonance produced mainly via gluon-gluon fusion. These data suggest the existence of a new heavy state $H$ whose mass $660÷680$ GeV would fit well with the theoretical range $M_H = 690 \pm 10 ~({\rm stat}) \pm 20 ~({\rm sys})~ {\rm GeV}$ for the hypothetical second resonance of the Higgs field that has been recently proposed and which would couple to longitudinal W's with the same typical strength of the low-mass state at $125$ GeV. Since the total width $Γ_H$ is very poorly determined, to sharpen the analysis of the precious ATLAS data, we have considered a particular correlation between resonating peak cross section $σ_R(pp\to H \to 4l)$ and the ratio $γ_H=Γ_H/M_H$. This correlation should be nearly insensitive to the precise value of $Γ_H$ and mainly determined by the lower mass $m_h=$ 125 GeV. Equivalently, if this correlation holds true, one could also fit $m_h$ from the 4-lepton data in the high-mass range 620$÷$740 GeV. The result $(m_h)^{\rm fit} \sim (125 \pm 13)$ GeV reproduces the direct measurement of the Higgs particle mass and thus supports the idea that $m_h$ and $M_H$ are the masses of two different excitations of the same field. Therefore, if we combine with the excess at 680 GeV in the ATLAS $γγ$ distribution, there are now two signals for a new resonance in the same mass region. Even though, quantitatively, the global statistical significance of each effect is modest, still the sharp correlation $γ_H-σ_R$ in the 4-lepton channel should induce to consider seriously these indications.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2020

A resonance of the Higgs field at 700 GeV and a new phenomenology

It has been recently proposed that, besides the known resonance with mass $m_h\sim$ 125 GeV, the Higgs field could exhibit a new excitation with a larger mass $M_h$ related by $M^2_h\sim m^2_h \ln (Λ_s/M_h)$, where $Λ_s$ is the ultraviolet cutoff of the scalar sector. Lattice simulations of the propagator performed in the 4D Ising limit of the theory are consistent with this two-mass picture and lead to the estimate $M_h\sim 700$ GeV. In spite of its large mass, however, this heavier state would couple to longitudinal vector bosons with the same typical strength of the low-mass state and would thus represent a relatively narrow resonance. In this Letter we argue that this hypothetical new resonance would naturally fit with some excess of 4-lepton events which is observed by ATLAS around 680 GeV.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2020

The mass scales of the Higgs field

In the first version of the theory, with a classical scalar potential, the sector inducing SSB was distinct from the Higgs field interactions induced through its gauge and Yukawa couplings. We have adopted a similar perspective but, following most recent lattice simulations, described SSB in $λΦ^4$ theory as a weak first-order phase transition. In this case, the resulting effective potential has two mass scales: i) a lower mass $m_h$, defined by its quadratic shape at the minima, ~and~ ii) a larger mass $M_h$, defined by the zero-point energy. These refer to different momentum scales in the propagator and are related by $M^2_h\sim m^2_h \ln (Λ_s/M_h)$, where $Λ_s$ is the ultraviolet cutoff of the scalar sector. We have checked this two-scale structure with lattice simulations of the propagator and of the susceptibility in the 4D Ising limit of the theory. These indicate that, in a cutoff theory where both $m_h$ and $M_h$ are finite, by increasing the energy, there could be a transition from a relatively low value, e.g. $m_h$=125 GeV, to a much larger $M_h$. The same lattice data give a final estimate $M_h= 720 \pm 30 $ GeV which induces to re-consider the experimental situation at LHC. In particular an independent analysis of the ATLAS + CMS data indicating an excess in the 4-lepton channel as if there were a new scalar resonance around 700 GeV. Finally, the presence of two vastly different mass scales, requiring an interpolating form for the Higgs field propagator also in loop corrections, could reduce the discrepancy with those precise measurements which still favor large values of the Higgs particle mass.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2020

Quantum computation of thermal averages in the presence of a sign problem

We illustrate the application of Quantum Computing techniques to the investigation of the thermodynamical properties of a simple system, made up of three quantum spins with frustrated pair interactions and affected by a hard sign problem when treated within classical computational schemes. We show how quantum algorithms completely solve the problem, and discuss how this can apply to more complex systems of physical interest, with emphasis on the possible systematics and on their control.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2019

Two mass scales for the Higgs field?

In the original version of the theory, the driving mechanism for spontaneous symmetry breaking was identified in the pure scalar sector. However, this old idea requires a heavy Higgs particle that, after the discovery of the 125 GeV resonance, seems to be ruled out. We argue that this is not necessarily true. If the phase transition is weakly first order, as indicated by most recent lattice simulations, one should consider those approximation schemes that are in agreement with this scenario. Then, even in a simple one-component theory, it becomes natural to introduce two mass scales, say $M_h$ and $m_h$ with $m_h \ll M_h$. This resembles the coexistence of phonons and rotons in superfluid helium-4, which is the non-relativistic analogue of the scalar condensate, and is potentially relevant for the Standard Model. In fact, vacuum stability would depend on $M_h$ and not on $m_h$ and be nearly insensitive to the other parameters of the theory (e.g. the top quark mass). By identifying $m_h=125$ GeV, and with our previous estimate from lattice simulations $M_h= 754 \pm 20 ~\rm{(stat)} \pm 20 ~\rm{(syst)}$ GeV, we thus get in touch with a recent, independent analysis of the ATLAS + CMS data which claims experimental evidence for a scalar resonance around $700$ GeV.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2018

Spatial structure of the color field in the SU(3) flux tube

We report on the chromoelectric and chromomagnetic fields generated by a static quark-antiquark pair at zero temperature in pure gauge SU(3). From the spatial structure of chromoelectric field we extract its nonperturbative part and discuss its properties.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2018

Fractal universe and cosmic acceleration in a Lemaître-Tolman-Bondi scenario

In this paper we attempt to answer to the question: can cosmic acceleration of the Universe have a fractal solution? We give an exact solution of a Lemaître-Tolman-Bondi (LTB) Universe based on the assumption that such a smooth metric is able to describe, on average, a fractal distribution of matter. While the LTB model has a center, we speculate that, when the fractal dimension is not very different from the space dimension, this metric applies to any point of the fractal structure when chosen as center so that, on average, there is not any special point or direction. We examine the observed magnitude-redshift relation of type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia), showing that the apparent acceleration of the cosmic expansion can be explained as a consequence of the fractal distribution of matter when the corresponding space-time metric is modeled as a smooth LTB one and if the fractal dimension on scales of a few hundreds Mpc is $D=2.9 \pm 0.02$.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2017

QCD flux tubes across the deconfinement phase transition

We study the behavior across the deconfinement phase transition of the chromoelectric flux tube generated by a static quark and a static antiquark for several distances between them. We present preliminary results for distances up to 1.33 fm and temperatures up to $1.5 T_c$.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2017

Flux tubes in the QCD vacuum

The hypothesis that the QCD vacuum can be modeled as a dual superconductor is a powerful tool to describe the distribution of the color field generated by a quark-antiquark static pair and, as such, can provide useful clues for the understanding of confinement. In this work we investigate, by lattice Monte Carlo simulations of the $SU(3)$ pure gauge theory and of (2+1)-flavor QCD with physical mass settings, some properties of the chromoelectric flux tube at zero temperature and their dependence on the physical distance between the static sources. We draw some conclusions about the validity domain of the dual superconductor picture.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2016

Flux tubes at finite temperature

The chromoelectric field generated by a static quark-antiquark pair, with its peculiar tube-like shape, can be nicely described, at zero temperature, within the dual superconductor scenario for the QCD confining vacuum. In this work we investigate, by lattice Monte Carlo simulations of the SU(3) pure gauge theory, the fate of chromoelectric flux tubes across the deconfinement transition. We find that, as the temperature is increased towards and above the deconfinement temperature $T_c$, the amplitude of the field inside the flux tube gets smaller, while the shape of the flux tube does not vary appreciably across deconfinement. This scenario with flux-tube "evaporation" above $T_c$ has no correspondence in ordinary (type-II) superconductivity, where instead the transition to the phase with normal conductivity is characterized by a divergent fattening of flux tubes as the transition temperature is approached from below. We present also some evidence about the existence of flux-tube structures in the magnetic sector of the theory in the deconfined phase.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2016

Critical line of 2+1 flavor QCD: Toward the continuum limit

We determine the continuum limit of the curvature of the pseudocritical line of QCD with $n_f$=2+1 staggered fermions at nonzero temperature and quark density. We perform Monte Carlo simulations at imaginary baryon chemical potentials, adopting the HISQ/tree action discretization, as implemented in the code by the MILC collaboration. Couplings are adjusted so as to move on a line of constant physics, as determined in Ref.~\cite{Bazavov:2011nk}, with the strange quark mass $m_s$ fixed at its physical value and a light-to-strange mass ratio $m_l/m_s=1/20$. The chemical potential is set at the same value for the three quark species, $μ_l=μ_s\equiv μ$. We attempt an extrapolation to the continuum using the results on lattices with temporal size up to $L_t=12$. Our estimate for the continuum value of the curvature $κ$ at zero baryon density, $κ=0.020(4)$, is compared with recent lattice results and with experimental determinations of the freeze-out curve.

hep-lat↗