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 experiments

Search for the QCD Critical Point in High Energy Nuclear Collisions: A Status Report

This paper reviews recent STAR experiment results on net-proton multiplicity fluctuations from RHIC BES-II collisions to search for the QCD critical point by comparing fourth-order cumulant and factorial cumulant ratios with non-critical theoretical models while addressing initial volume fluctuations and outlining future research directions.

Yu Zhang, Zhaohui Wang, Xiaofeng Luo, Nu Xu2026-04-15
⚛️ nuclear theory

Spherical-tensor description of the Jahn--Teller--Hubbard molecule and local electron--phonon entanglement

This paper employs a spherical-tensor formalism to demonstrate that the Mott-insulating ground state of the Jahn–Teller–Hubbard molecule in A3_3C60_{60} is characterized by local electron–phonon entanglement and composite quadrupole moments that vanish in conventional electronic and lattice observables, revealing a unique multiplet structure distinct from standard quadrupolar degrees of freedom.

Koichiro Takahashi, Shuichiro Ebata, Naotaka Yoshinaga, Shintaro Hoshino2026-04-15
⚛️ nuclear theory

Open-flavor threshold effects on quarkonium spectrum in the BOEFT

This paper utilizes Born-Oppenheimer effective field theory (BOEFT) to systematically quantify open-flavor threshold effects on the quarkonium spectrum by solving coupled Schrödinger equations with lattice-constrained static potentials, successfully reproducing experimental data and providing a field-theoretical interpretation of the phenomenological 3P0^3P_0 model's pair-creation constant.

Nora Brambilla, Abhishek Mohapatra, Tommaso Scirpa, Antonio Vairo2026-04-15
⚛️ nuclear theory

Hydrodynamic Initial Conditions in Small Systems from Proton Phase-Space Entropy

This paper proposes that the appropriate initial conditions for hydrodynamic evolution in small collision systems can be derived by coarse-graining the proton's quantum wave function into a semi-classical, positive-definite Wehrl-like entropy, thereby bridging the gap between pure quantum states and the maximally mixed states required by relativistic hydrodynamics.

Gabriel Rabelo-Soares, Gojko Vujanovic, Giorgio Torrieri2026-04-15
⚛️ nuclear theory

General equilibrium second-order hydrodynamic coefficients for free quantum fields

This paper presents a systematic calculation of non-dissipative, quantum-origin second-order hydrodynamic corrections to the stress-energy tensor and currents for free boson and Dirac fields in thermal vorticity, deriving their Kubo formulae via equilibrium correlators and demonstrating that the axial current receives vorticity-proportional corrections independent of anomalous terms.

M. Buzzegoli (U. Florence), E. Grossi (U. Heidelberg), F. Becattini (U. Florence)2026-04-14