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

Spectral theory for Markov chains with transition matrix admitting a stochastic bidiagonal factorization

This paper extends the spectral theory of Markov chains beyond the classical birth-and-death setting by applying a spectral Favard theorem to chains with transition matrices admitting a positive stochastic bidiagonal factorization, thereby deriving Karlin-McGregor representations, establishing recurrence conditions, and characterizing stationary distributions and ergodicity through associated orthogonal polynomials and spectral measures.

Amílcar Branquinho, Ana Foulquié-Moreno, Manuel Mañas2026-01-27
🔢 mathematics

Euler-Poincaré Formulation of Barotropic Fluids Coupled with ADM Gravity

This paper establishes a geometric mechanics framework using Euler-Poincaré reduction to derive 3-dimensional Eulerian equations of motion and Kelvin-Noether circulation conservation laws for self-gravitating barotropic fluids within the 3+1 ADM formulation of general relativity, thereby bridging relativistic hydrodynamics with Newtonian fluid dynamics and offering potential applications for numerical relativity.

Allan Louie2026-01-27
🔢 mathematics

Resolvent, spectrum and resonances for the acoustic operator with piecewise constant coefficients

This paper investigates the spectral properties and resonance behavior of the acoustic operator with piecewise constant coefficients by deriving a resolvent difference formula to establish a Limiting Absorption Principle and characterize the spectrum, while also providing analytic expansions for resonances in the asymptotic regime where the domain shrinks and material parameters vanish.

Andrea Mantile, Andrea Posilicano2026-01-27