Higher-order QCD corrections to H → b$$ \overline{b} $$ from rational approximants

We use rational approximants to study missing higher orders in the massless scalar-current quark correlator. We predict the yet unknown six-loop coefficient of its imaginary part, related to Γ(H → b$$ \overline{b} $$ b ¯ ), to be c5 = −6900 ± 1400. With this result, the perturbative series becomes almost insensitive to renormalization scale variations and the intrinsic QCD truncation uncertainty is tiny. This confirms the expectation that higher-order loop computations for this quantity will not be required in the foreseeable future, as the uncertainty in Γ(H → b$$ \overline{b} $$ b ¯ ) will remain largely dominated by the Standard Model parameters.

Heavy + light pseudoscalar meson semileptonic transitions

A symmetry-preserving regularisation of a vector $$\times $$ × vector contact interaction (SCI) is used to deliver a unified treatment of semileptonic transitions involving $$\pi $$ π , K, $$D_{(s)}$$ D ( s ) , $$B_{(s,c)}$$ B ( s , c ) initial states. The framework is characterised by algebraic simplicity, few parameters, and the ability to simultaneously treat systems from Nambu–Goldstone modes to heavy+heavy mesons. Although the SCI form factors are typically somewhat stiff, the results are comparable with experiment and rigorous theory results. Hence, predictions for the five unmeasured $$B_{s,c}$$ B s , c branching fractions should be a reasonable guide. The analysis provides insights into the effects of Higgs boson couplings via current-quark masses on the transition form factors; and results on $$B_{(s)}\rightarrow D_{(s)}$$ B ( s ) → D ( s ) transitions yield a prediction for the Isgur–Wise function in fair agreement with contemporary data.

Ratio of flavour non-singlet and singlet scalar density renormalisation parameters in $$N_\mathrm {f}=3$$ QCD with Wilson quarks

We determine non-perturbatively the normalisation factor $$r_{\mathrm{m}}\equiv Z_{\mathrm{S}}/Z_{\mathrm{S}}^{0}$$ r m ≡ Z S / Z S 0 , where $$Z_{\mathrm{S}}$$ Z S and $$Z_{\mathrm{S}}^{0}$$ Z S 0 are the renormalisation parameters of the flavour non-singlet and singlet scalar densities, respectively. This quantity is required in the computation of quark masses with Wilson fermions and for instance the renormalisation of nucleon matrix elements of scalar densities. Our calculation involves simulations of finite-volume lattice QCD with the tree-level Symanzik-improved gauge action, $$N_{\mathrm{f}}= 3$$ N f = 3 mass-degenerate $${\mathrm{O}}(a)$$ O ( a ) improved Wilson fermions and Schrödinger functional boundary conditions. The slope of the current quark mass, as a function of the subtracted Wilson quark mass is extracted both in a unitary setup (where nearly chiral valence and sea quark masses are degenerate) and in a non-unitary setup (where all valence flavours are chiral and the sea quark masses are small). These slopes are then combined with $$Z \equiv Z_{\mathrm{P}}/(Z_{\mathrm{S}}Z_{\mathrm{A}})$$ Z ≡ Z P / ( Z S Z A ) in order to obtain $$r_{\mathrm{m}}$$ r m . A novel chiral Ward identity is employed for the calculation of the normalisation factor Z. Our results cover the range of gauge couplings corresponding to lattice spacings below $$0.1\,$$ 0.1 fm, for which $$N_{\mathrm{f}}= 2+1$$ N f = 2 + 1 QCD simulations in large volumes with the same lattice action are typically performed.

Electrical neutrality and $$\beta $$-equilibrium conditions in dense quark matter: generation of charged pion condensation by chiral imbalance

The phase diagram of dense quark matter with chiral imbalance is considered with the conditions of electric neutrality and $$\beta $$ β -equilibrium. It has been shown recently that chiral imbalance can generate charged pion condensation (PC) in dense quark matter. It was, therefore, interesting to verify that this phenomenon takes place in realistic physical scenarios such as electrically neutral quark matter in $$\beta $$ β -equilibrium, because a window of charged PC at dense quark matter phase diagram (without chiral imbalance) predicted earlier was closed by the consideration of these conditions at the physical current quark mass. In this paper it has been shown that the charged PC phenomenon is generated by chiral imbalance in the dense electric neutral quark/baryonic matter in $$\beta $$ β -equilibrium, i.e. matter in neutron stars. It has also been demonstrated that charged PC is an inevitable phenomenon in dense quark matter with chiral imbalance if there is nonzero chiral imbalance in two forms, chiral and chiral isospin one. It seems that in this case charged PC phase can be hardly avoided by any physical constraint on isospin imbalance and that this conclusion can be probably generalized from neutron star matter to the matter produced in heavy ion collisions or in neutron star mergers. The chiral limit and the physical point (physical pion mass) have both been considered and it was shown that the appearance of charged PC is not much affected by the consideration of nonzero current quark mass.

Chiral symmetry and Heun’s equation

We show that the current quark mass should vanish to be consistent with the QCD color confinement: a bag model leads us to Heun’s equation, which requests that not only the energy but also the string tension should be quantized. This is due to the presence of higher-order singularity which requests higher regularity condition demanding that parameters of the theory should be related to one another. As a result, the Hadron spectrum is consistent with the Regge trajectory only when quark mass vanishes. Therefore, in this model, the chiral symmetry is a consequence of the confinement.

Charged Pion Condensation in Dense Quark Matter: Nambu–Jona-Lasinio Model Study

In this short review we tried to give an outline of investigations of charged pion condensation (PC) in dense baryonic (quark) matter in the framework of effective Nambu–Jona-Lasinio (NJL)-type models. The possibility of charged PC phase in dense quark matter with isospin asymmetry is investigated. First, it is demonstrated that this phase can be realized in the framework of massless NJL model. However, the existence of this phase is enormously fragile to the values of current quark mass and we show that charged PC phase is forbidden in electrically neutral dense quark matter with β -equilibrium when current quark masses are close to their physical value of 5.5 MeV. Nevertheless, then it is shown that in real physical systems there could be conditions promoting the appearance of charged PC phenomenon in dense quark matter; specifically, it was shown that if one takes into consideration the fact that system can have finite size, then a dense charged PC phase can be realized there. It was also demonstrated that the possibility of inhomogeneous pion condensate might allow this phase to appear. In addition, more recently it was revealed that there is another interesting factor that can induce a charged PC phase in dense quark matter even without isospin imbalance. It is a chiral imbalance of the system (non-zero difference between densities of left- and right-handed quarks). These results can be interesting in heavy ion collision experiments, where it is expected to get high baryon densities. It is of interest also in the context of neutron stars, where quark matter might be realized in the core and very high baryon and isospin densities are attained.

Quarks in a Polar Model

Current-quark masses are compared to the rest masses allowed by the Helmholtz equation in a polar model. Within the uncertainty of the current u quark mass determination, the current quark mass coincides with the rest mass allowed by the Helmholtz equation in the polar model in accordance with the second root of the zero Neumann function. Current d quark mass coincides with the rest mass calculated in accordance with the third root of the Bessel zero function. On the basis of a comparison of these results with the results obtained earlier for ordinary real particles u and d quarks stability is discussed.

Quasi-distribution amplitudes for pion and kaon via the nonlocal chiral-quark model

We investigate the pseudoscalar (PS) meson ([Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]) quasi-distribution amplitude (QDA), which is supposed to be an asymptotic analog to the meson distribution amplitude (DA) [Formula: see text] in the limit of the large longitudinal PS-meson momentum, i.e. [Formula: see text], in the non-perturbative (NP) region. For this purpose, we employ the nonlocal chiral-quark model (NLChQM) in the light-front (LF) formalism with a minimal Fock-state for the mesons [Formula: see text][Formula: see text][Formula: see text] at the low-energy scale parameter of the model [Formula: see text][Formula: see text][Formula: see text][Formula: see text]1 GeV. As a trial, we extract the transverse-momentum distribution amplitude (TMDA) from the light-front wave function (LFWF) within the model, and convert it to QDA with help of the virtuality-distribution amplitude (VDA). By doing that, we derive an analytical expression for the NP QDA with the current-quark mass correction up to [Formula: see text]. Numerically, we confirm that the obtained TMDA reproduces the experimental data for the photon-pion transition form factor [Formula: see text] at the low-[Formula: see text] qualitatively well. We also observe that the obtained QDA approaches to DA as [Formula: see text] increases, showing the symmetric and asymmetric curves with respect to [Formula: see text] for the pion and kaon, respectively, due to the current-quark mass difference [Formula: see text]. Assigning [Formula: see text], the moments [Formula: see text] are computed, using the pion and kaon QDAs, and there appear only a few percent deviations in the moments for [Formula: see text] in comparison to the values calculated directly from DAs. It turns out that the higher moments are more sensitive to the change of [Formula: see text], whereas the lower ones depend less on it.

NJL model with the modified quark-dependent coupling strength G

In this paper, the coupling strength G of the Nambu–Jona-Lasinio (NJL) model is modified by incorporating quark’s feedback into the gluon propagator. The modified two-flavor NJL model with the quark-dependent coupling strength is explored. The quark condensate in this framework has a conspicuous agreement with the lattice quantum chromodynamics (QCD) results at finite temperature. Then, it is compared with the original NJL model in both zero (chiral limit) and nonzero current quark mass. The QCD phase diagram and susceptibilities are investigated in the temperature–chemical potential [Formula: see text] plane. Therefore, the pseudo-critical temperature [Formula: see text] and the critical end point (CEP) are worked out and compared with original NJL model or lattice QCD results. In addition, the pion mass and decay constant are studied at finite temperature.

Regge trajectories of exotic hadrons in the flux tube model

We have investigated the Regge trajectories of exotic hadrons by considering different possible pentaquark configurations with finite quark mass in the flux tube model. Significant deviation is observed in the linear behavior of the Regge trajectories for pentaquark systems in view of the universal value of the Regge slope parameter for hadrons. The modified Regge trajectories are also compared with the available experimental and lattice data. It is observed that the nonlinear Regge trajectories of such pentaquark systems can be well described by the relativistic corrections in view of the current quark masses and the high rotational speed of the quarks at the end of flux tube structure.