Mathematical physics sits at the fascinating intersection where abstract equations meet the fundamental laws of our universe. This field uses rigorous mathematical tools to model everything from the behavior of subatomic particles to the curvature of spacetime, turning complex theories into testable predictions. It is the language through which physicists describe reality, bridging the gap between pure mathematics and physical observation.

On Gist.Science, we process every new preprint published in this category on arXiv to make these dense studies accessible to everyone. Whether you are a specialist or a curious reader, you will find both plain-language overviews and detailed technical summaries for each paper. Below are the latest mathematical physics papers from arXiv, curated to help you explore the cutting edge of theoretical science.

🔢 mathematics

The Asymptotic Analysis of Some PDE and Steklov Eigenvalue Problems with Partially Reactive Patches in 3-D

This paper employs matched asymptotic expansions to derive three-term asymptotic formulas for the mean first-reaction time, splitting probabilities, and spectral properties of mixed Steklov-Neumann problems in a 3D spherical domain with small, partially reactive surface patches, accounting for arbitrary reactivities and spatial configurations.

Denis S. Grebenkov, Michael J. Ward2026-08-04
🔢 mathematics

Correlation Lengths for Stochastic Matrix Product States

This paper establishes the existence of thermodynamic limits and proves that two-point correlations in stochastically generated matrix product states decay exponentially or polynomially depending on the mixing properties of the underlying strictly stationary tensor distribution, thereby unifying and extending recent results on random MPS ensembles through a transfer-operator framework.

Lubashan Pathirana, Albert H. Werner2026-08-04
🔢 mathematics

Positive Bidiagonal Factorizations for Banded Markov Processes

This paper establishes a spectral and probabilistic theory for arbitrary finite-bandwidth Markov transition matrices by utilizing ordered positive bidiagonal factorizations to derive explicit formulas for transition probabilities and first-passage laws without requiring reversibility, while characterizing these systems through mixed-type multiple orthogonal polynomials and specific stochastic experiments.

Manuel Mañas2026-08-04
🔬 applied physics

Geometry-Informed Polynomial Time Quantum Approximation Schemes for Constrained Optimisation

This paper introduces a noise-resilient, polynomial-time quantum approximation scheme (FPRASq) for constrained optimization that leverages geometry-informed guarantees and a novel Heavy-Hitter QAOA variant to achieve provable performance on NP-hard problems, demonstrating that quantum advantage in this context stems from generating superior sampling distributions rather than classical post-processing.

Chinonso Onah, Kristel Michielsen2026-08-04
🌀 nonlinear sciences

Deformation algorithm: Deforming (2+1)-dimensional integrable systems to higher dimensional ones

This paper establishes a unified deformation framework that lifts (2+1)-dimensional integrable systems, specifically the anisotropic KP and isotropic NNV equations, to higher-dimensional hierarchies with closed-form Lax pairs, while simultaneously generating new reciprocal Harry-Dym-type integrable systems and revealing how the spatial symmetry of the parent equation governs the properties of its deformations.

Wang Fa-Ren, Jia Man, Lou S Y2026-08-04