Baryonic Regge trajectories with analyticity constraints

A model for baryonic Regge trajectories compatible with the threshold behavior required by unitarity and asymptotic behavior in agreement with analyticity constraints is given in explicit form. Widths and masses of the baryonic resonances on the N and $\Delta$ trajectories are reproduced. The MacDowell symmetry is exploited and an application is given.Comment: 12 pages, 6 figure

J/Psi Photoproduction in a Dual Model

J/Psi photoproduction is studied in the framework of the analytic S-matrix theory. The differential and integrated elastic cross sections for J/Psi photoproduction are calculated from a Dual Amplitude with Mandelstam Analyticity. It is argued that at low energies, the background, which is the low-energy equivalent of the high-energy diffraction replaces the Pomeron exchange. The onset of the high energy Pomeron dominance is estimated from the fits to the data.Comment: 10 pages, 7 figures. Dedicated to Professor Anatoly I. Bugrij on the occasion of his 60-th birthda

Challenges in QCD matter physics - The Compressed Baryonic Matter experiment at FAIR

Substantial experimental and theoretical efforts worldwide are devoted to explore the phase diagram of strongly interacting matter. At LHC and top RHIC energies, QCD matter is studied at very high temperatures and nearly vanishing net-baryon densities. There is evidence that a Quark-Gluon-Plasma (QGP) was created at experiments at RHIC and LHC. The transition from the QGP back to the hadron gas is found to be a smooth cross over. For larger net-baryon densities and lower temperatures, it is expected that the QCD phase diagram exhibits a rich structure, such as a first-order phase transition between hadronic and partonic matter which terminates in a critical point, or exotic phases like quarkyonic matter. The discovery of these landmarks would be a breakthrough in our understanding of the strong interaction and is therefore in the focus of various high-energy heavy-ion research programs. The Compressed Baryonic Matter (CBM) experiment at FAIR will play a unique role in the exploration of the QCD phase diagram in the region of high net-baryon densities, because it is designed to run at unprecedented interaction rates. High-rate operation is the key prerequisite for high-precision measurements of multi-differential observables and of rare diagnostic probes which are sensitive to the dense phase of the nuclear fireball. The goal of the CBM experiment at SIS100 (sqrt(s_NN) = 2.7 - 4.9 GeV) is to discover fundamental properties of QCD matter: the phase structure at large baryon-chemical potentials (mu_B > 500 MeV), effects of chiral symmetry, and the equation-of-state at high density as it is expected to occur in the core of neutron stars. In this article, we review the motivation for and the physics programme of CBM, including activities before the start of data taking in 2022, in the context of the worldwide efforts to explore high-density QCD matter.Comment: 15 pages, 11 figures. Published in European Physical Journal

A facility to Search for Hidden Particles (SHiP) at the CERN SPS

A new general purpose fixed target facility is proposed at the CERN SPS accelerator which is aimed at exploring the domain of hidden particles and make measurements with tau neutrinos. Hidden particles are predicted by a large number of models beyond the Standard Model. The high intensity of the SPS 400~GeV beam allows probing a wide variety of models containing light long-lived exotic particles with masses below ${\cal O}$(10)~GeV/c$^2$, including very weakly interacting low-energy SUSY states. The experimental programme of the proposed facility is capable of being extended in the future, e.g. to include direct searches for Dark Matter and Lepton Flavour Violation.Comment: Technical Proposa

Forward Physics at the LHC; Elastic Scattering

The following effects in the nearly forward ("soft") region of the LHC are proposed to be investigated: 1) At small |t| the fine structure of the cone (Pomeron) shouldbe scrutinized: a) a break of the cone near $t\approx - 0.1 ~ GeV$^2, due to the two-pion threshold, and required by t-channel unitarity, is expected, and b) possible small-period oscillations between $t=0$ and the dip region. 2) In measuring the elastic $pp$ scattering and total $pp$ cross section at the LHC, the experimentalists are urged to treat the total cross section $\sigma_t,$ the ratio $\rho$, the forward slope $B$ and the luminosity ${\cal L}$ as free arameters, and to publish model-independent results on ${dN/{dt}}.$ 3) Of extreme interest are the details of the expected diffraction minimum in the differential cross section. Its position, expected in the interval $0.4<-t<1$ GeV$^2$ at the level of about $10^{-2} {\rm mb} \cdot$ GeV$^{-2}\div 10^{-1} {\rm mb}\cdot$ GeV$^{-2}$, cannot be predicted unambiguously, and its depth, i.e. the ratio of $d\sigma/dt$ at the minimum to that at the subsequent maximum (about $-t=5$GeV$^2$, which is about 5 is of great importance. 4) The expected slow-down with increasing $|t|$ of the shrinkage of the second cone (beyond the dip-bump), together with the transition from an exponential to a power decrease in $-t$, will be indicative of the transition from "soft" to "hard" physics. Explicit models are proposed to help in quantifying this transition. 5) In a number of papers a limiting behavior, or saturation of the black disc limit (BDL) was predicted. This controversial phenomenon shows that the BDL may not be the ultimate limit.Comment: pp. 50, figs 16 (typos corrected

Strong Interaction Physics at the Luminosity Frontier with 22 GeV Electrons at Jefferson Lab

This document presents the initial scientific case for upgrading the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility (CEBAF) at Jefferson Lab (JLab) to 22 GeV. It is the result of a community effort, incorporating insights from a series of workshops conducted between March 2022 and April 2023. With a track record of over 25 years in delivering the world's most intense and precise multi-GeV electron beams, CEBAF's potential for a higher energy upgrade presents a unique opportunity for an innovative nuclear physics program, which seamlessly integrates a rich historical background with a promising future. The proposed physics program encompass a diverse range of investigations centered around the nonperturbative dynamics inherent in hadron structure and the exploration of strongly interacting systems. It builds upon the exceptional capabilities of CEBAF in high-luminosity operations, the availability of existing or planned Hall equipment, and recent advancements in accelerator technology. The proposed program cover various scientific topics, including Hadron Spectroscopy, Partonic Structure and Spin, Hadronization and Transverse Momentum, Spatial Structure, Mechanical Properties, Form Factors and Emergent Hadron Mass, Hadron-Quark Transition, and Nuclear Dynamics at Extreme Conditions, as well as QCD Confinement and Fundamental Symmetries. Each topic highlights the key measurements achievable at a 22 GeV CEBAF accelerator. Furthermore, this document outlines the significant physics outcomes and unique aspects of these programs that distinguish them from other existing or planned facilities. In summary, this document provides an exciting rationale for the energy upgrade of CEBAF to 22 GeV, outlining the transformative scientific potential that lies within reach, and the remarkable opportunities it offers for advancing our understanding of hadron physics and related fundamental phenomena.Comment: Updates to the list of authors; Preprint number changed from theory to experiment; Updates to sections 4 and 6, including additional figure