arXiv subjects

Raghunath Sahoo

Publications and source records attributed to Raghunath Sahoo.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Constraining $\alpha$-cluster compactness in $^{16}\rm O$ and $^{20}\rm Ne$ at TeV energies using azimuthal anisotropy

Anisotropic flow in ultra-relativistic light-ion collisions is sensitive to the initial geometry of the colliding nuclei. We investigate whether elliptic flow measurements can constrain the parameters of the proposed $\alpha$-clustered nuclear density distributions of $^{16}$O and $^{20}$Ne at LHC energies. Using the hybrid framework IP-Glasma+MUSIC+iSS+UrQMD, we simulate OO and Ne--Ne collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}=5.36$ TeV for the Woods--Saxon and $\alpha$-clustered configurations with varying cluster compactness. The elliptic flow coefficient $v_2\{2,|\Delta\eta|>1\}$ is calculated in the kinematic acceptances of ALICE, CMS, and ATLAS detectors and is compared with the Run~3 OO and Ne--Ne experimental measurements. It is observed that the final-state elliptic flow is significantly sensitive to the nuclear geometry, especially in OO collisions, where different configurations lead to distinct centrality dependencies and peak positions of $v_{2}$. By performing a systematic variation of the cluster size and inter-cluster separation in $^{16}$O and $^{20}$Ne nuclei, this work attempts to identify the cluster parameter range that provides the best agreement with the experimental data. These results show that the flow observables in TeV-energy light-ion collisions can be used to optimize the nuclear structure parameters of light nuclei.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2026

Why Do Light Nuclei Survive at the Large Hadron Collider?

Light nuclei and antinuclei, such as deuterons, are produced abundantly at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in hadronic and nuclear collisions. Even though their binding energies are only a few MeV, they survive in the extremely high temperatures of the order of a few hundred MeV. This contradiction, often referred to as ``Snowballs in Hell'', has become a sharp test of how quantum chromodynamics (QCD) turns quarks and gluons into composite matter. Strikingly, two very different frameworks can reproduce the same inclusive yields, i.e., late-stage nucleon coalescence, where nuclei form from nearby nucleons as the system dilutes, and statistical thermal models, where nuclei emerge as part of an equilibrated hadronization chemistry at a temperature close to 155 MeV. Here, we review how recent LHC measurements and model developments are shifting the question--from whether light nuclei are produced, to when and how they form, with broader implications for QCD matter and cosmic-ray antinuclei searches.

physics.gen-ph↗

arXiv2026

Thermodiffusive coupled-transport phenomena in dense quark matter

Coupled-transport phenomena reveal that heat, charge, and particle flows are intrinsically interconnected, providing deeper insight into the microscopic dynamics of a medium than independent transport processes. We study the behavior of the coupled-transport coefficients in hot and dense quark matter within the framework of the 2+1 flavor Nambu--Jona--Lasinio model at finite temperature and quark chemical potential. These coefficients characterize coupled-transport phenomena, where particle diffusion is driven by temperature gradients (Soret effect) and heat flow is induced by gradients in chemical potential (Dufour effect). These coefficients are estimated by solving the relativistic Boltzmann transport equation using the relaxation time approximation with temperature-dependent cross sections. We study the scaled Soret and Dufour coefficients as functions of temperature and quark chemical potential across the QCD phase diagram. We aim to understand the intricate behavior of the coupled-transport coefficients near the chiral symmetry restoration region. Our results indicate that coupled-transport coefficients are sensitive to the chiral phase transition and provide the first systematic insight into the cross-coupled-transport properties in dense quark matter.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2026

MAGE-HEP: Monte Carlo Analysis and Graphical Environment for High-Energy Physics

Monte Carlo event generators are central to high-energy physics analysis. However, workflows based on handwritten scripts can be difficult to reuse, modify, and reproduce when multiple Monte Carlo models, tune variations, run variations, and output formats are involved. We present MAGE-HEP, short for Monte Carlo Analysis and Graphical Environment for High-Energy Physics, a Graphical User Interface (GUI) driven workflow environment for reproducible Monte Carlo-based analyses in high-energy physics. MAGE-HEP organizes analysis workflows through a project-study-run hierarchy. The project stores the workspace, the study stores the reusable analysis context, and each run represents a controlled execution of that context. The MAGE-HEP Node API provides the analysis-building layer for defining generator configurations, observables, selections, output rules, and generated C++/ROOT analysis code. A study context can be inspected, reused, or exported as a \texttt{.mcx} context bundle, while the project state can be exported as a portable \texttt{.mgp} bundle. The current beta implementation validates the core idea using a PYTHIA8 and ROOT workflow. It includes background execution, manifest-based run tracking, live ROOT inspection, and particle-table summaries for supported output layouts. This paper describes the architecture, workflow, and current beta implementation of MAGE-HEP.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2026

Inferring identified hadron production in $pp$ collisions with physics-informed machine learning at the LHC

Machine learning has become a powerful tool in high-energy collider experiments, which enables the studies based on data-driven approaches to complex reconstruction and regression tasks. The study of identified hadron spectra in pseudorapidity regions beyond detector acceptance, which is limited to mid-rapidity regions, carries important information about particle production, yet remains unmeasured. In this work, we develop a physics-informed neural network, trained on PYTHIA8 $pp$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13.6$ TeV, to infer $p_{\rm T}$ spectra of $\pi^{\pm}$, $K^{\pm}$, $p/\bar{p}$, $\Lambda/\bar{\Lambda}$, and $K^{0}_{\mathrm{s}}$ in different rapidity regions. Physics-motivated constraints, including particle yield ratios, spectral shape, and smoothness, are incorporated into the loss function. A staged hyperparameter optimization strategy is used to ensure stability. The model achieves yield uncertainties of ${\sim}1.5\%$, $1.8\%$, and $5.83\%$ in the training, interpolation, and extrapolation regimes, respectively, outperforming XGBoost and LightGBM. It further reproduces key observables such as particle yield ratios, the multiplicity dependence of $\langle p_{\rm T} \rangle$, and kinetic freeze-out parameters, indicating that the model captures the underlying physics and provides reliable predictions beyond the measured phase space.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2026

Nuclear geometry driven symmetry plane correlations in OO and Ne--Ne collisions at the Large Hadron Collider

Symmetry-plane correlations (SPCs) are key observables sensitive to the medium's transport properties and are driven by participant-plane correlations (PPCs) in the nuclear overlap region. This study explores the possibility of nuclear-geometry-driven SPCs in Oxygen--Oxygen (OO) and Neon--Neon (Ne--Ne) collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=5.36$ TeV using nuclear geometry simulations based on Nuclear Lattice Effective Field Theory (NLEFT) and Projected Generator Coordinate Method (PGCM) configurations. We investigate $\langle \cos[4(\psi_2 - \psi_4)]\rangle_{\rm GE}$ and $\langle \cos[6(\psi_3 - \psi_6)]\rangle_{\rm GE}$ in OO and Ne--Ne collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=5.36$ TeV using the A Multi-Phase Transport (AMPT) model. We find that Ne--Ne collisions exhibit larger $\langle \cos[4(\psi_2 - \psi_4)]\rangle_{\rm GE}$ values than OO collisions, whereas $\langle \cos[6(\psi_3 - \psi_6)]\rangle_{\rm GE}$ is larger in OO than in Ne--Ne collisions. This behavior indicates a strongly deformed shape of the $^{20}$Ne nucleus and a tetrahedral structure of the $^{16}$O nucleus. We also explore SPCs for events with tip-tip and body-body collision configurations, which further support these findings.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2026

Global polarization of $\Lambda$ hyperons in hot QCD matter at TeV energies

The study of spin polarization of $\Lambda$ hyperons in ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions provides insights into the angular momentum and vortical structure of the possible existence of QGP. The present study examines the global spin polarization of $\Lambda$ hyperons using a second-order relativistic viscous hydrodynamic framework that incorporates medium vorticity, shear viscosity, and evolving magnetic fields. It explores thermal vorticity evolution in relativistic heavy-ion collisions and evaluates its value at the decoupling isothermal freeze-out surface. We quantify the contributions of thermal vorticity and magnetic field to the global spin polarization of $\Lambda$ hyperons. Comparing results with recent ALICE measurements in Pb+Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 2.76 and 5.02 TeV shows qualitative agreement, offering new insights into the vortical structure of QCD matter. It also explores the relationship between magnetic and rotational dynamics, with implications for spin polarization at RHIC and LHC energies.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2026

Thermodynamic and Transport Properties of Quark-Gluon Plasma at Finite Chemical Potential with a DNN framework

The characteristics of a thermal system depend strongly on its response to thermal gradients and the underlying microscopic interactions among constituents. In the present study, we investigate the thermodynamic and transport properties of the quark-gluon plasma (QGP) at finite baryon chemical potential within a deep-learning-assisted quasi-particle model (DLQPM). The temperature ($\mathrm{T}$) and baryon chemical potential ($\mu_B$)-dependent thermal masses of quasi-particles are estimated using neural networks trained to reproduce lattice QCD (lQCD) results for the equation of state, obtained via a Taylor-like expansion around vanishing baryon chemical potential. The trained model acts as an effective emulator, enabling us to estimate the thermodynamic and transport properties at finite $\mu_B$. We compute the speed of sound, specific heat, viscosity, and conductivity of the deconfined medium. Our findings are in good agreement with available lattice calculations and other phenomenological models. The present study demonstrates that a DNN-based approach provides an efficient framework for studying the properties of the QGP at finite baryon density.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2026

Vorticity-induced modifications of chemical freeze-out in heavy-ion collisions

We investigate the influence of global rotation on the chemical freeze-out parameters in ultra-relativistic heavy-ion collisions. Within the framework of the hadron resonance gas (HRG) model, the freeze-out parameters are determined using commonly employed freeze-out criteria, namely the fixed energy per particle and the scaled entropy density, extended here to include rotational effects. We find that the presence of rotation leads to a systematic shift of the chemical freeze-out curve toward lower temperatures in the $T\text{--}\mu_B$ phase diagram. The behavior of the electric charge and strangeness chemical potentials in the presence of rotation is also analyzed, providing the first systematic study of their rotational dependence within the HRG framework. Furthermore, we examine the impact of rotation on experimentally relevant observables, including hadron yield ratios and susceptibility ratios of conserved charges. Our results show that while particle yield ratios exhibit noticeable sensitivity to rotation, the conventional cumulant ratios remain comparatively less affected. This indicates that hadronic yield ratios may provide a more suitable observable for estimating the magnitude of rotational effects generated in heavy-ion collisions.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2026

Probing Rotational Dynamics of Quark Gluon Plasma via Global Vorticity

The findings on the spin polarization of $\Lambda$, $\Xi$, and $\Omega$ hyperons and spin alignment of $K^{*0}$, $\phi$, and $D^{*+}$ mesons in relativistic heavy-ion collision experiments at the RHIC and LHC facilities propose the emergence of a strong vorticity field produced in these collisions. Contemplating the potential impact of vorticity on the space-time evolution of deconfined QCD matter and its freeze-out properties, we aim to investigate its characteristics within the medium. We introduce a complementary and data-driven approach to quantify the global vorticity field by extracting it directly from the transverse momentum spectra of produced hadrons. Employing the experimental data for $\Lambda$, $\Xi$, $\Omega$, $K^{*0}$, $K^{*\pm}$, $\phi$, $\rho$, and $D^{*+}$ at mid-rapidity in Au+Au and Pb+Pb collisions over a wide range of beam energies, $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=7.7$ GeV-5.02 TeV, and centrality classes, we systematically examine spin-vorticity coupling in the medium. Our finding on the magnitude of the extracted vorticity is consistent with values deduced from $\Lambda$ and $\bar{\Lambda}$ polarization measurements using statistical thermal models under the non-relativistic limit. Notably, we observe a prominent particle-species dependence of the vorticity, as well as a non-trivial variation with collision centrality and beam energy. These results indicate that vorticity-driven spin phenomena are sensitive to hadron structure and freeze-out dynamics, providing new constraints on the rotational properties of the QCD matter.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2026

Partial pressure and susceptibilities of charmed sector in the van der Waals hadron resonance gas model

We investigate the general susceptibilities in the charm sector by using the van der Waals hadron resonance gas model (VDWHRG). We argue that the ideal hadron resonance gas (HRG), which assumes no interactions between hadrons, and the excluded volume hadron resonance gas (EVHRG), which includes only repulsive interactions, fail to explain the lQCD data at very high temperatures. In contrast, the VDWHRG model, incorporating both attractive and repulsive interactions, extends the degree of agreement with lQCD up to nearly 180 MeV. We estimate the partial pressure in the charm sector and study charm susceptibility ratios in a baryon-rich environment, which is tricky for lattice quantum chromodynamics (lQCD) due to the fermion sign problem. Our study further solidifies the notion that the hadrons shouldn't be treated as non-interacting particles, especially when studying higher order fluctuations, but rather one should consider both attractive and repulsive interactions between the hadrons.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2026

Soret and Dufour effects in hot and dense QCD matter

The gradients act as invisible engines of transport, converting microscopic imbalances into macroscopic flows, and thus providing deep insights into the dynamics of physical systems. Thermal gradients do not merely drive the flow of heat, but they also set the microscopic constituents of the system into motion. In such scenarios, the constituents of the system not only transport energy but also diffuse collectively under the influence of these gradients. For the very first time, we present a first-principles investigation of the Soret and Dufour effects in hot and dense quantum chromodynamics (QCD) matter. We use the relativistic Boltzmann transport equation under the relaxation time approximation. By incorporating chemical potential and temperature gradients into the kinetic theory framework, we derive explicit expressions for the Dufour coefficient, which quantifies the heat flow due to concentration gradients, and the Soret coefficient, which describes the particle diffusion induced by thermal gradients. These coupled-transport phenomena are traditionally studied in multi-component classical systems at low energy scales. In this study, we follow quasiparticle models for the deconfined phase and the hadron resonance gas model for the confined hadronic phase in the context of heavy-ion collisions. This study provides novel insights into the thermo-diffusion and diffusion-thermo phenomena and opens avenues for incorporating such effects in hydrodynamic modeling and transport simulations of QCD matter.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2026

Development of next-generation light-weight ternary Mg--Al--Li alloys for beampipe applications in particle accelerators

The current study reports the design of advanced light-weight materials for high-energy accelerator beampipe applications. The objective is to optimize the combined requirements of high radiation length and stiffness properties of the designed materials. The present study targets conventional beampipe materials such as aluminum, titanium, and stainless steel as primary performance benchmarks. These conventional beampipes are used at synchrotron radiation sources, such as Indus-1 and Indus-2 in India, the Nuclotron-based Ion Collider Facility in Russia, and the ring synchrotron facility SIS 100/300 at the Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research in Germany. In this context, a series of ternary Mg--Al--Li alloys is systematically investigated to enhance the figure of merit. Two aluminum--rich alloys, A1 ($\mathrm{Al_{61.5}Li_{10.8}Mg_{27.7}}$) and A2 ($\mathrm{Al_{66}Li_{19.4}Mg_{14.6}}$), along with three magnesium-rich alloys, M1 ($\mathrm{Al_{23.9}Li_{29.3}Mg_{46.8}}$), M2 ($\mathrm{Al_{19}Li_{20.6}Mg_{60.4}}$), and M3 ($\mathrm{Al_{39.8}Li_{20.1}Mg_{40.1}}$) are explored. Thermodynamic stability, density, liquidus temperature, and phases are evaluated using Latin hypercube sampling within the Thermo-Calc TC-Python framework. Elastic properties are obtained from density functional theory calculations performed using the Vienna \textit{Ab Initio} Simulation Package. Our results show that, although the elastic moduli ($E$) of the investigated Mg-Al-Li alloys are comparable to those of conventional beampipe materials, their significantly higher radiation lengths ($X_0$) lead to an overall improvement in the figure of merit $X_0 E^{1/3}$.

physics.acc-ph↗

arXiv2026

Probing the microscopic origin of prompt and non-prompt $D^{0}$ production through event-shape engineering in proton-proton collisions at the LHC

Heavy-flavour hadrons are produced in the early stages of ultra-relativistic collisions at the LHC via hard partonic interactions and experience the whole system evolution. The study of prompt and non-prompt $D^{0}$ mesons provides an independent avenue to test the theories of quantum chromodynamics and to investigate beauty hadron production. Moreover, the production of both prompt and non-prompt $D^{0}$ is influenced by microscopic processes such as multi-partonic interactions (MPI) and hadronisation through fragmentation. In this study, an attempt is made to understand the production of prompt and non-prompt $D^{0}$ mesons in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13.6$ TeV using the PYTHIA8 event generator, which offers a qualitative description of charm production. The role of the transverse momentum transfer in the hardest partonic scattering ($\hat{p}_{\rm T}$), MPI, and color reconnection is systematically explored. In addition, the charged particle production in different topological regions with respect to the leading $D^{0}$ meson is studied to assess the influence of the $D^{0}$ meson on the event topology and to examine the selection biases arising from the use of charged particle multiplicity as an event classifier.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2025

Dissociation-driven quarkonium spin alignment in Pb--Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 5.02$ TeV

The observation of spin alignment of quarkonia in ultra-relativistic heavy-ion collisions provides deep insight into the possible formation of the quark-gluon plasma (QGP). The present study investigates the spin alignment of quarkonia induced by dissociation mechanisms arising from medium effects imposed on quarkonia. We implement an effective Hamiltonian with a medium-modified color-singlet potential to incorporate the coupling of quarkonium spin with medium vorticity. This coupling gives rise to spin-dependent dissociation, which we identify as a plausible mechanism contributing to quarkonium spin alignment. Within the ambit of second-order relativistic viscous hydrodynamics, we calculate the spin-dependent decay widths of charmonium ($J/\psi$, $\psi$(2S)) and bottomonium ($\Upsilon$(1S), $\Upsilon$(2S)) in a rotating thermal medium, including collisional damping and gluonic dissociation effects. We evaluate the observable $\rho_{00}$ for Pb--Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 5.02$ TeV as a function of transverse momentum of the quarkonia, charged particle multiplicity, and medium rotation. The results demonstrate that medium vorticity modifies the quarkonia net decay width and, as a consequence, quarkonia spin alignment gets modified. These findings suggest new directions for understanding spin transport and the microscopic dynamics of vortical QGP.

nucl-th↗

arXiv2025

Emergent spin polarization from $ρ$ meson condensation in rotating hadronic matter

The behavior of vector mesons in extreme environments provides a unique probe of non-perturbative Quantum Chromodynamics. We investigate the conditions for Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) of spin-1 $ρ$ mesons in dense rotating hadronic matter, a regime relevant to the peripheral heavy-ion collisions and the interiors of rapidly rotating neutron stars. When the $ρ$ meson chemical potential ($μ_ρ$) approaches its effective mass ($m_ρ^*$), a phase transition to BEC occurs. We demonstrate that this transition is non-trivially influenced by global rotation, which couples to the spin of the $ρ$ mesons, leading to a macroscopic spin alignment of the condensate along the axis of rotation. This interplay between condensation and rotation results in distinct polarization patterns, which can serve as a possible signature of a BEC in experiments. The results suggest that rapidly rotating neutron stars may harbor an anisotropic, spin-polarized $ρ$-condensed phase, which could impact their equation of state.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2025

Thermoelectric figure of merit and the deconfinement phase transition

Thermoelectric phenomena are traditionally associated with the interconversion of thermal and electrical energy in many-body systems. In the context of high-temperature quantum chromodynamics (QCD) matter produced in relativistic heavy-ion collisions, thermoelectric responses can provide insight into the evolving microscopic dynamics and the redistribution of effective degrees of freedom across the phase transition region. In this work, for the first time, we present a phenomenological study of the thermoelectric figure of merit ($ ZT $) in hot QCD matter, with a particular focus on its behavior across the hadronic and quark-gluon plasma phases. Using model-based calculations for the electrical conductivity, Seebeck coefficient, and thermal conductivity, we analyze the temperature dependence of $ ZT $ and identify characteristic features near the QCD phase transition temperature. Our results indicate that $ ZT $ exhibits nontrivial behavior near the transition region, reflecting the changing transport properties and active degrees of freedom in the medium. This phenomenological study of the thermoelectric figure of merit provides a complementary perspective to traditional transport studies and may provide critical insights for advancing the understanding of QCD matter through the transition region.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2025

Event-shape dependence of symmetry plane correlations using the Gaussian estimator in Pb-Pb collisions at the LHC using a multiphase transport model

The study of symmetry plane correlations (SPCs) can be useful in characterizing the direction of the anisotropic emission of produced particles in the final state. The study of SPCs provides an independent method to understand the transport properties of the system formed in heavy-ion collisions. Similar to anisotropic flow coefficients, which are largely influenced by the initial spatial anisotropy, SPCs also depend upon the participant plane correlations measured using the participating nucleons of the collision overlap region. In this paper, SPCs have been studied in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=5.02$ TeV using the event generator AMPT. In addition to their behaviour with the changing centrality of the collision, their event shape dependence has also been studied for the first time, using the event shape classifier transverse spherocity. The Gaussian estimator has been used to evaluate the correlations, and these have been compared to the participant plane correlations defined in an analogous way to the symmetry plane correlations, and a qualitative match has been found between them. These event-shape differentiated symmetry plane correlations can be used to deduce the presence of higher-order anisotropies in the initial energy distribution, thus giving insight into the initial geometry of the colliding system, among other applications like model development and model testing using Bayesian analyses.

nucl-ex↗