nucl-th papers | Gist.Science

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.

⚛️ nuclear theory

Hybrid stars with hyperons: structure based on QCD sum rule coupling constants

This paper presents a comprehensive study of hybrid stars composed of hadrons, leptons, and quarks within a relativistic mean-field framework, utilizing QCD sum rule-derived coupling constants to construct equations of state for both hadronic and quark phases and subsequently predicting mass-radius relations, tidal deformabilities, and particle distributions for comparison with multimessenger astrophysical observations.

F. Moradi Jangal, H. R. Moshfegh, K. Azizi2026-06-19

⚛️ nuclear theory

Trace anomaly and interior curvature of neutron stars in energy-momentum squared gravity

This study demonstrates that in Energy-Momentum Squared Gravity, the trace anomaly of dense matter continues to organize the interior curvature profiles of neutron stars into systematic bands similar to General Relativity, despite the theory's nonlinear coupling between matter and geometry.

Ratikanta Swain, Sayantan Ghosh, Bharat Kumar2026-06-19

⚛️ nuclear theory

Revisiting the role of saturation in diffractive vector meson production

This paper presents a global Bayesian analysis using a Color Glass Condensate framework and Gaussian-process emulators to demonstrate that correcting for electromagnetic dissociation effects in LHC data resolves previous tensions between proton and nuclear datasets, enabling a consistent simultaneous description of coherent and incoherent diffractive J/ψ photoproduction in both γ+p and γ+Pb collisions.

Heikki Mäntysaari, Hendrik Roch, Björn Schenke, Chun Shen, Wenbin Zhao2026-06-19

⚛️ nuclear experiments

A possible solution to the gallium anomaly moving beyond the leptonic wave function factorization

This paper proposes a solution to the long-standing gallium anomaly by revising the theoretical calculation of the neutrino capture cross-section on $^{71}$ Ga, demonstrating that moving beyond standard leptonic wave function factorization and incorporating constrained Gamow-Teller transition densities can resolve the observed deficit without invoking new physics.

M. Cadeddu, N. Cargioli, F. Dordei, L. Ferro, C. Giunti, M. Pitzalis2026-06-18

⚛️ nuclear theory

Universality and variability of the heavy r-process element abundance pattern from a nonequilibrium approach

This paper demonstrates that a nonequilibrium freeze-out approach using Lagrange parameters naturally accounts for the universal and variable heavy r-process element abundance patterns observed in stars, offering a tool to identify potential sources of heavy element formation such as early Universe density fluctuations.

David Blaschke, Friedrich K. Röpke, Gerd Röpke2026-06-18

⚛️ phenomenology

Scaling of the Surface Free Energy as a Probe of the QCD Critical Region

This paper proposes a method to construct a realistic equation of state incorporating surface energy effects to study the QCD critical point, concluding that the extreme temperature precision required to observe critical exponents makes their experimental detection in heavy ion collisions unlikely, though signatures of a first-order phase transition may still be feasible.

Joseph I. Kapusta, Mayank Singh, Shensong Wan2026-06-17

⚛️ nuclear theory

Can a Slow and Strong Phase Transition in Neutron Stars Relieve Major Compact-Star Observation Tensions?

This paper proposes that neutron stars undergoing a slow, strong first-order hadron-quark phase transition can resolve conflicting observational tensions regarding compact star masses and radii by supporting extended stable hybrid branches that simultaneously accommodate the high mass of GW190814's secondary component and the unusually small radii of HESS J1731--347 and XTE J1814--338.

Chen Zhang2026-06-17

⚛️ phenomenology

Quantum decoherence of hyperon spin correlations in QCD hadronization

This paper proposes a quantum information-inspired framework where spin entanglement in quark-antiquark pairs created from the QCD vacuum undergoes decoherence via string breaking during hadronization, successfully explaining hyperon spin-correlation data from RHIC and the LHC.

Feng Liu, Zhoudunming Tu2026-06-17

⚛️ nuclear theory

Mass Probe of Tetrahedral Symmetry in Atomic Nuclei

This study demonstrates that the pronounced nonmonotonic peak in the triple binding energy difference ( $\delta V_{pn}^{(3)}$ ) observed in the $^{80}$ Zr isotope serves as a distinct experimental signature of tetrahedral nuclear symmetry, a structural feature that cannot be reproduced by conventional quadrupole or triaxial mean-field models.

F. F. Xu, P. W. Zhao2026-06-17

⚛️ nuclear theory

Probing the QCD Phase Structure with Dileptons from SIS to LHC Energies

This study utilizes the Dynamical QuasiParticle Model and Parton--Hadron--String Dynamics transport approach to demonstrate that thermal QGP dilepton radiation becomes a dominant signal over correlated charm decays in central heavy-ion collisions at energies below 25–30 GeV, highlighting the potential of RHIC-BES and FAIR experiments to directly observe QGP electromagnetic radiation and probe the QCD phase structure.

Adrian William Romero Jorge, Taesoo Song, Qi Zhou, Elena Bratkovskaya2026-06-17

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