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Simonetta Liuti

Publications and source records attributed to Simonetta Liuti.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2026

Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) based Likelihood Extraction of Chiral-Odd Compton Form Factors from Deeply Virtual Exclusive Experiments

We present a likelihood analysis of observables in deeply virtual exclusive meson production off the proton. The study uses experimental data for cross sections together with beam and target spin asymmetries measured in the unpolarized beams and unpolarized as well as longitudinally polarized target configurations at Jefferson Lab Halls A and B. For a fixed kinematic bin defined by $(Q^2, x_B, t,\epsilon)$, we derive a joint likelihood for the twist-two chiral-odd helicity amplitudes and the corresponding Compton Form Factors (CFFs), that parameterize the underlying QCD scattering amplitude. The joint likelihood analysis of cross-section and Asymmetry data strongly constrains the CFF parameter space beyond the either of the measurements studied alone. Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods are employed to explore the full parameter space, extracting the parameter uncertainties, correlations and credible intervals.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2026

Neural Network Generalized Parton Distributions (NNGPD)

Generalized parton distributions (GPDs) serve as indispensable tools for the exploration of proton structure. In this study, we offer a deep learning-assisted framework for the extraction of GPDs from experimental data and the results of ab-initio lattice quantum chromodynamics (LQCD).

hep-ph↗
arXiv2026

Neural Network Representation of Generalized Parton Distributions (NNGPD)

We present a neural-network-based framework for modeling generalized parton distributions, referred to as NNGPD, in which GPDs are represented as flexible functions constrained through physically motivated integral relations. In this approach, experimental and theoretical information is incorporated into the training procedure via loss functions enforcing convolution integrals that define Compton form factors, as well as Mellin moments related to generalized form factors accessible in lattice QCD. This formulation reflects the inverse-problem character of GPD phenomenology without assuming a specific functional ansatz. As a proof of concept, we benchmark the NNGPD framework using a phenomenological spectator-based GPD model, from which synthetic training data for Compton form factors and Mellin moments are generated. The neural network is trained solely on these aggregate observables, and the resulting GPDs are compared directly with the underlying model distributions in a closure-type test. We find that the neural-network representation reproduces the main features of the GPDs over the relevant kinematic domain, despite being constrained only by their integral projections. This study demonstrates the viability of neural-network representations of GPDs constrained by global physical observables and provides a basis for future phenomenological applications combining experimental measurements of deeply virtual Compton scattering, including those anticipated at the Electron Ion Collider, with lattice QCD inputs for Mellin moments and generalized form factors.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2025

Connected and disconnected contributions to nucleon form factors and parton distributions

Using the framework of generalized parton distribution, we provide a unified interpretation of the connected and disconnected contributions from the ab-initio Euclidean path-integral formulation of the hadronic tensor in both the nucleon elastic form factors and the parton distribution functions. We develop a phenomenology to elucidate non-perturbative contributions to deep inelastic structure functions, which can be extended to observables in heavy-ion collisions probing baryon junctions.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2025

Updated flexible global parametrization of generalized parton distributions from elastic and deep inelastic inclusive scattering data

An updated flexible parametrization of the generalized parton distributions in the quark, antiquark and gluon sectors is presented using constraints from high precision electron nucleon deep inelastic scattering data, as well as from the $u$, $d$ quark and gluonic contributions to the nucleon electromagnetic elastic form factors. The latter include recently updated lattice QCD moment calculations. The generalized parton distributions in the vector sector are $H$ and $E$. We rigorously constrain the partonic components, $H_{u_v}$, $H_{d_v}$, $H_{\bar{u}}$, $H_{\bar{d}}$, $H_{\bar{s}}$ and $H_{g}$, and the analogous quantities for $E$, with proper uncertainty quantification. These distributions obey leading order perturbative QCD evolution equations in $\alpha_S$. Parametric forms at the initial scale, $Q_o^2 = 0.58$ $\mathrm{GeV}^2$, for both quarks and gluon distributions are presented as a function of the relevant kinematic variables, namely, the parton momentum fraction, $x$, the skewness, $\xi$, and the invariant, $t$. We also present the Compton form factors entering the deeply virtual Compton scattering process in the kinematic regimes for both fixed target and electron-ion collider settings.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2025

Generalized Parton Distributions from Symbolic Regression

AI/ML informed Symbolic Regression is the next stage of scientific modeling. We utilize a highly customizable symbolic regression package ``PySR" to model the $x$ and $t$ dependence of the flavor isovector combination $H_{u-d}(x,t,\xi)$ at $\xi=0$. These PySR models were trained on GPD results provided by both Lattice QCD and phenomenological sources GGL, GK, and VGG. We demonstrate, for the first time, the consistency and systematic convergence of Symbolic Regression by quantifying the disparate models through their Taylor expansion coefficients. In addition to PySR penalizing models with higher complexity and mean-squared error, we implement schemes that test specific physics hypotheses, including force-factorized $x$ and $t$ dependence and Regge behavior in PySR GPDs. We show that PySR can identify factorizing GPD sources based on their response to the Force-Factorized model. Knowing the precise behavior of the GPDs, and their uncertainties in a wide range in $x$ and $t$, crucially impacts our ability to concretely and quantitatively predict hadronic spatial distributions and their derived quantities.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2024

Likelihood and Correlation Analysis of Compton Form Factors for Deeply Virtual Exclusive Scattering on the Nucleon

A likelihood analysis of the observables in deeply virtual exclusive photoproduction off a proton target, $ep \rightarrow e' p' \gamma'$, is presented. Two processes contribute to the reaction: deeply virtual Compton scattering, where the photon is produced at the proton vertex, and the Bether-Heitler process, where the photon is radiated from the electron. We consider the unpolarized process for which the largest amount of data with all the kinematic dependences are available from corresponding datasets with unpolarized beams and unpolarized targets from Jefferson Lab. We provide and use a method which derives a joint likelihood of the Compton form factors, which parametrize the deeply virtual Compton scattering amplitude in QCD, for each observed combination of the kinematic variables defining the reaction. The unpolarized twist-two cross section likelihood fully constrains only three of the Compton form factors (CFFs). The impact of the twist-three corrections to the analysis is also explored. The derived likelihoods are explored using Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods. Using our proposed method we derive CFF error bars and covariances. Additionally, we explore methods which may reduce the magnitude of error bars/contours in the future.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2024

Transverse Orbital Angular Momentum in the Proton

Using the equations of motion of QCD and Lorentz invariance relations, we show a new, more direct way of obtaining the decomposition of the proton's quark transverse angular momentum into its spin and orbital components. The new decomposition can be understood as a twist-three relation, with the quark transverse spin described by the parton distribution $g_T$. We find that the orbital component can be expressed in terms of a moment in the quark transverse momentum, $k_T$, of the generalized transverse momentum-dependent distribution $F_{12}$, or alternatively in terms of the twist-three generalized parton distributions $H_{2T}$ and $\widetilde{E}_{2T}$.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2024

Variational autoencoder inverse mapper for extraction of Compton form factors: Benchmarks and conditional learning

Deeply virtual exclusive scattering processes (DVES) serve as precise probes of nucleon quark and gluon distributions in coordinate space. These distributions are derived from generalized parton distributions (GPDs) via Fourier transform relative to proton momentum transfer. QCD factorization theorems enable DVES to be parameterized by Compton form factors (CFFs), which are convolutions of GPDs with perturbatively calculable kernels. Accurate extraction of CFFs from DVCS, benefiting from interference with the Bethe-Heitler (BH) process and a simpler final state structure, is essential for inferring GPDs. This paper focuses on extracting CFFs from DVCS data using a variational autoencoder inverse mapper (VAIM) and its constrained variant (C-VAIM). VAIM is shown to be consistent with Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods in extracting multiple CFF solutions for given kinematics, while C-VAIM effectively captures correlations among CFFs across different kinematic values, providing more constrained solutions. This study represents a crucial first step towards a comprehensive analysis pipeline towards the extraction of GPDs.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2024

AI for Nuclear Physics: the EXCLAIM project

In overview of the recent activity of the newly funded EXCLusives with AI and Machine learning (EXCLAIM) collaboration is presented. The main goal of the collaboration is to develop a framework to implement AI and machine learning techniques in problems emerging from the phenomenology of high energy exclusive scattering processes from nucleons and nuclei, maximizing the information that can be extracted from various sets of experimental data, while implementing theoretical constraints from lattice QCD. A specific perspective embraced by EXCLAIM is to use the methods of theoretical physics to understand the working of ML, beyond its standardized applications to physics analyses which most often rely on industrially provided tools, in an automated way.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2024

Extraction of Information from Polarized Deep Exclusive Scattering with Machine Learning

A framework defining benchmarks for the analysis of polarized exclusive scattering cross sections is proposed that uses physics symmetry constraints as well as lattice QCD predictions. These constraints are built into machine learning (ML) algorithms. Both physics driven and ML based benchmarks are applied to a wide range of deeply virtual exclusive processes through explainable ML techniques with controllable uncertainties. The observables, namely the Compton Form Factors (CFFs) which are convolutions of Generalized Parton Distributions (GPDs), are extracted using methods such as the random targets method to evaluate the separate contribution of the aleatoric and epistemic uncertainties in exclusive scattering analyses.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2024

Exploring Baryon Resonances with Transition Generalized Parton Distributions: Status and Perspectives

QCD gives rise to a rich spectrum of excited baryon states. Understanding their internal structure is important for many areas of nuclear physics, such as nuclear forces, dense matter, and neutrino-nucleus interactions. Generalized parton distributions (GPDs) are an established tool for characterizing the QCD structure of the ground-state nucleon. They are used to create 3D tomographic images of the quark/gluon structure and quantify the mechanical properties such as the distribution of mass, angular momentum and forces in the system. Transition GPDs extend these concepts to $N \rightarrow N^\ast$ transitions and can be used to characterize the 3D structure and mechanical properties of baryon resonances. They can be probed in high-momentum-transfer exclusive electroproduction processes with resonance transitions $e + N \rightarrow e' + M + N^\ast$, such as deeply-virtual Compton scattering ($M = \gamma$) or meson production ($M = \pi, K$, $etc.$), and in related photon/hadron-induced processes. This White Paper describes a research program aiming to explore baryon resonance structure with transition GPDs. This includes the properties and interpretation of the transition GPDs, theoretical methods for structures and processes, first experimental results from JLab 12 GeV, future measurements with existing and planned facilities (JLab detector and energy upgrades, COMPASS/AMBER, EIC, EicC, J-PARC, LHC ultraperihperal collisions), and the theoretical and experimental developments needed to realize this program.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2024

VAIM-CFF: A variational autoencoder inverse mapper solution to Compton form factor extraction from deeply virtual exclusive reactions

We develop a new methodology for extracting Compton form factors (CFFs) in from deeply virtual exclusive reactions such as the unpolarized DVCS cross section using a specialized inverse problem solver, a variational autoencoder inverse mapper (VAIM). The VAIM-CFF framework not only allows us access to a fitted solution set possibly containing multiple solutions in the extraction of all 8 CFFs from a single cross section measurement, but also accesses the lost information contained in the forward mapping from CFFs to cross section. We investigate various assumptions and their effects on the predicted CFFs such as cross section organization, number of extracted CFFs, use of uncertainty quantification technique, and inclusion of prior physics information. We then use dimensionality reduction techniques such as principal component analysis to visualize the missing physics information tracked in the latent space of the VAIM framework. Through re-framing the extraction of CFFs as an inverse problem, we gain access to fundamental properties of the problem not comprehensible in standard fitting methodologies: exploring the limits of the information encoded in deeply virtual exclusive experiments.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2023

Moments of Nucleon Unpolarized, Polarized, and Transversity Parton Distribution Functions from Lattice QCD at the Physical Point

The second Mellin moments $\langle x\rangle$ of the nucleon's unpolarized, polarized, and transversity parton distribution functions (PDFs) are computed. Two lattice QCD ensembles at the physical pion mass are used: these were generated using a tree-level Symanzik-improved gauge action and 2+1 flavour tree-level improved Wilson Clover fermions coupling via 2-level HEX-smearing. The moments are extracted from forward matrix elements of local leading twist operators. We determine renomalization factors in RI-(S)MOM and match to $\overline{\mathrm{MS}}$ at scale $2\,\mathrm{GeV}$. Our findings show that operators that exhibit vanishing kinematics at zero momentum can have significantly reduced excited-state contamination. The resulting polarized moment is used to quantify the longitudinal contribution to the quark spin-orbit correlation. All our results agree within two sigma with previous lattice results.

hep-lat↗
arXiv2023

The case for an EIC Theory Alliance: Theoretical Challenges of the EIC

We outline the physics opportunities provided by the Electron Ion Collider (EIC). These include the study of the parton structure of the nucleon and nuclei, the onset of gluon saturation, the production of jets and heavy flavor, hadron spectroscopy and tests of fundamental symmetries. We review the present status and future challenges in EIC theory that have to be addressed in order to realize this ambitious and impactful physics program, including how to engage a diverse and inclusive workforce. In order to address these many-fold challenges, we propose a coordinated effort involving theory groups with differing expertise is needed. We discuss the scientific goals and scope of such an EIC Theory Alliance.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2023

TMD Handbook

This handbook provides a comprehensive review of transverse-momentum-dependent parton distribution functions and fragmentation functions, commonly referred to as transverse momentum distributions (TMDs). TMDs describe the distribution of partons inside the proton and other hadrons with respect to both their longitudinal and transverse momenta. They provide unique insight into the internal momentum and spin structure of hadrons, and are a key ingredient in the description of many collider physics cross sections. Understanding TMDs requires a combination of theoretical techniques from quantum field theory, nonperturbative calculations using lattice QCD, and phenomenological analysis of experimental data. The handbook covers a wide range of topics, from theoretical foundations to experimental analyses, as well as recent developments and future directions. It is intended to provide an essential reference for researchers and graduate students interested in understanding the structure of hadrons and the dynamics of partons in high energy collisions.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2022

How Community Agreements Can Improve Workplace Culture in Physics

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) committees and Codes of Conduct (CoC) have become common in laboratories and physics departments across the country. However, very often these EDI committees and CoC are not equipped to provide practical consequences for violations, and therefore are mostly performative in nature. A considerable effort has been devoted by various groups within APS units and beyond the APS in developing instead what are now called Community Guidelines. Community Guidelines help implement the core principles in CoC, by setting expectations for participation in in-person events and virtual communication. When further accompanied by accountability and enforcement processes, they develop into Community Agreements. This White Paper discusses the elements necessary to create and implement an effective Community Agreement, reviews examples of Community Agreements in physics, and argues that physics collaborations, physics departments, and ultimately as many physics organizations as possible, however large or small, should have a Community Agreement in place. We advocate that Community Agreements should become part of the bylaws of any entity that has bylaws.

physics.soc-ph↗