Nuclear theory sits at the fascinating intersection of particle physics and the forces that hold our universe together. This field explores how protons and neutrons bind inside atomic nuclei, seeking to understand the fundamental interactions that govern matter at its most dense and energetic levels. While the mathematics involved can be incredibly complex, the core questions are deeply human: how does the universe function at its smallest scales, and what happens when we push matter to its limits?

At Gist.Science, we make these cutting-edge discoveries accessible by processing every new preprint published in this category on arXiv. Our team transforms dense academic manuscripts into clear, plain-language summaries alongside detailed technical overviews, ensuring that both experts and curious readers can grasp the latest breakthroughs without getting lost in the jargon. Below are the latest papers in nuclear theory, distilled and ready for you to explore.

Analytic structure of the QCD phase diagram in the complex-temperature plane

This paper investigates the analytic structure of the QCD phase diagram by treating temperature as a complex variable, combining universal critical scaling, effective models, and lattice-QCD data to locate the nearest Yang-Lee edge singularities and establish a consistency test for critical-point searches via the relationship between complex-temperature and complex-chemical-potential trajectories.

Gokce Basar, Vladimir V. Skokov2026-06-12⚛️ hep-lat

Transport coefficients of strongly interacting quark-gluon plasma including elastic and inelastic scattering within the dynamical quasiparticle model

This study extends the dynamical quasiparticle model to include inelastic gluon-radiation processes, finding that while these radiative channels systematically reduce transport coefficients like shear viscosity and electric conductivity compared to elastic-only results, the effect remains moderate in the thermal regime and yields predictions compatible with lattice-QCD estimates at zero baryon chemical potential.

Gaia Ingrosso, Olga Soloveva, Ilia Grishmanovskii, Elena Bratkovskaya2026-06-12⚛️ nucl-th

Classification of Compact Stars via Machine Learning and Neural Network Models

This paper demonstrates that machine learning and deep learning models can accurately classify compact stars as neutron stars or quark stars based on observable macroscopic properties like mass, radius, and tidal deformability, offering a promising tool for probing dense matter composition while noting the need for further validation with hybrid and exotic matter scenarios.

D. Neraki, G. Koufetidis, I. Stergakis, Th. Diakonidis, Ch. C. Moustakidis2026-06-12⚛️ nucl-th

Observable Dependence of Viscous Corrections in QGP: Heavy Quarks and Dileptons in Chapman--Enskog Theory

This paper presents the first calculation of heavy quark transport and thermal dilepton production in a QGP using second-order viscous corrections derived from the Chapman-Enskog expansion, revealing that these corrections significantly suppress drag forces and enhance early-time dilepton yields while demonstrating that observable modifications depend on the complex interplay between correction magnitude, momentum dependence, and the specific momentum weighting of each observable.

Lakshmi J. Naik, P. Parvathi, Nachiketa Sarkar, V. Sreekanth2026-06-12⚛️ nucl-th

Phase diagram of the single-flavor Gross--Neveu--Wilson model from the Grassmann corner transfer matrix renormalization group

Using the Grassmann corner transfer matrix renormalization group, this study maps the phase diagram of the single-flavor Gross--Neveu--Wilson model, identifying distinct universality classes for phase boundaries via entanglement entropy scaling and demonstrating that the Aoki phase does not persist in the strong-coupling regime.

Jian-Gang Kong, Shinichiro Akiyama, Tao Shi, Z. Y. Xie2026-06-11⚛️ hep-lat