Abstract: We extend our previous investigation of the effects of prehydrodynamic evolution on final-state observables in heavy-ion collisions [38] to smaller systems. We use a state-of-the-art hybrid model for the numerical simulations with optimal parameters obtained from a previous Bayesian study. By studying p-Pb collisions, we find that the effects due to the assumption of a conformal evolution in the prehydrodynamical stage are even more important in small systems. We also show that this effect depends on the time duration of the pre-equilibrium stage, which is further enhanced in small systems. Finally, we show that the recent proposal of a free-streaming with subluminal velocity for the pre-equilibrium stage, thus effectively breaking conformal invariance, can alleviate the contamination of final-state observables. Our study further reinforces the need for moving beyond conformal approaches in pre-equilibrium dynamics modeling, especially when extracting transport coefficients from hybrid models in the high-precision era of heavy-ion collisions.

Abstract: We explore whether nonstandard dark sector physics might be required to solve the existing cosmological tensions. The properties we consider in combination are (a) an interaction between the dark matter and dark energy components and (b) a dark energy equation of state w different from that of the canonical cosmological constant w = -1. In principle, these two parameters are independent. In practice, to avoid early-time, superhorizon instabilities, their allowed parameter spaces are correlated. Moreover, a clear degeneracy exists between these two parameters in the case of cosmic microwave background (CMB) data. We analyze three classes of extended interacting dark energy models in light of the 2019 Planck CMB results and Cepheid-calibrated local distance ladder H-0 measurements of Riess et al. (R19), as well as recent baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) and type Ia supernovae (SNeIa) distance data. We find that in quintessence coupled dark energy models, where w > -1, the evidence for a nonzero coupling between the two dark sectors can surpass the 5 sigma significance. Moreover, for both Planck + BAO or Planck + SNeIa, we find a preference for w > -1 at about three standard deviations. Quintessence models are, therefore, in excellent agreement with current data when an interaction is considered. On the other hand, in phantom coupled dark energy models, there is no such preference for a nonzero dark sector coupling. All the models we consider significantly raise the value of the Hubble constant, easing the H-0 tension. In the interacting scenario, the disagreement between Planck thorn BAO and R19 is considerably reduced from 4.3 sigma in the case of the Lambda cold dark matter (Lambda CDM) model to about 2.5 sigma. The addition of low-redshift BAO and SNeIa measurements leaves, therefore, some residual tension with R19 but at a level that could be justified by a statistical fluctuation. Bayesian evidence considerations mildly disfavor both the coupled quintessence and phantom models, while mildly favoring a coupled vacuum scenario, even when late-time datasets are considered. We conclude that nonminimal dark energy cosmologies, such as coupled quintessence, phantom, or vacuum models, are still an interesting route toward softening existing cosmological tensions, even when low-redshift datasets and Bayesian evidence considerations are taken into account.

Abstract: We explore the sparticle mass spectra including LSP dark matter within the framework of supersymmetric SU(4)(c) x SU(2)(L) x SU(2)(R) (422) models, taking into account the constraints from extensive LHC and cold dark matter searches. The soft supersymmetry-breaking parameters at M-GUT can be non-universal, but consistent with the 422 symmetry. We identify a variety of coannihilation scenarios compatible with LSP dark matter, and study the implications for future supersymmetry searches and the ongoing muon g-2 experiment.

Abstract: We explore the role of redshift-space galaxy clustering data in constraining nongravitational interactions between dark energy (DE) and dark matter (DM), for which state-of-the-art limits have so far been obtained from late-time background measurements. We use the joint likelihood for prereconstruction full-shape (FS) galaxy power spectrum and postreconstruction Baryon Acoustic Oscillation (BAO) measurements from the BOSS DR12 sample, alongside Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) data from Planck: from this dataset combination we infer H0 1/4 68.02+0.49 and the 2?? lower limit ?? > ???0.12, among the strongest limits ever reported on the DM-DE coupling strength ?? for the particular model considered. Contrary to what has been observed for the ??CDM model and simple extensions thereof, we find that the CMB + FS combination returns tighter constraints compared to the CMB + BAO one, suggesting that there is valuable additional information contained in the broadband of the power spectrum. We test this finding by running additional CMB-free analyses and removing sound horizon information, and discuss the important role of the equality scale in setting constraints on DM-DE interactions. Our results reinforce the critical role played by redshift-space galaxy clustering measurements in the epoch of precision cosmology, particularly in relation to tests of nonminimal dark sector extensions of the ??CDM model.

Abstract: We explore the possibility of very heavy dibaryons with three charm quarks and three beauty quarks, bbbccc, using a constituent model which should lead to the correct solution in the limit of hadrons made of heavy quarks. The six-body problem is treated rigorously, in particular taking into account the orbital, color, and spin mixed-symmetry components of the wave function. Unlike a recent claim based on lattice QCD, no bound state is found below the lowest dissociation threshold.