Abstract: Neutrinos are the only particles in the Standard Model that could be Majorana fermions, that is, completely neutral fermions that are their own antiparticles. The most sensitive known experimental method to verify whether neutrinos are Majorana particles is the search for neutrinoless double-beta decay. The last 2 decades have witnessed the development of a vigorous program of neutrinoless double-beta decay experiments, spanning several isotopes and developing different strategies to handle the backgrounds masking a possible signal. In addition, remarkable progress has been made in the understanding of the nuclear matrix elements of neutrinoless double-beta decay, thus reducing a substantial part of the theoretical uncertainties affecting the particle-physics interpretation of the process. On the other hand, the negative results by several experiments, combined with the hints that the neutrino mass ordering could be normal, may imply very long lifetimes for the neutrinoless double-beta decay process. In this report, we review the main aspects of such process, the recent progress on theoretical ideas and the experimental state of the art. We then consider the experimental challenges to be addressed to increase the sensitivity to detect the process in the likely case that lifetimes are much longer than currently explored, and discuss a selection of the most promising experimental efforts.

Abstract: We discuss the stability of tetraquark systems with two different masses. After some reminders about the stability of very asymmetric QQ (q) over bar(q) over bar tetraquarks, we demonstrate that in the all-heavy limit q -> Q, the system becomes unstable for standard color-additive models. We also analyze the consequences of symmetry breaking for Qq (Q) over bar(q) over bar configurations: we find a kind of metastability between the lowest threshold Q (Q) over bar + q (q) over bar and the highest one, Q (q) over bar + (Q) over barq, and we calculate the width of the resonance. Our results are consistent with the experimental observation of narrow hadrons lying well above their lowest decay threshold.

Abstract: We present a work which is meant to inspire the few-body practitioners to venture into the study of new, more exotic, systems and to hadron physicists, working mostly on two-body problems, to move in the direction of studying related few-body systems. For this purpose we devote the discussions in the introduction to show how the input two-body amplitudes can be easily obtained using techniques of the chiral unitary theory, or its extensions to the heavy quark sector. We then briefly explain how these amplitudes can be used to solve the Faddeev equations or a simpler version obtained by treating the three-body scattering as that of a particle on a fixed center. Further, we give some examples of the results obtained by studying systems involving mesons. We have also addressed the field of many meson systems, which is currently almost unexplored, but for which we envisage a bright future. Finally, we give a complete list of works dealing with unconventional few-body systems involving one or several mesons, summarizing in this way the findings on the topic, and providing a motivation for those willing to investigate such systems.

Abstract: The first direct measurement of gravitational waves by the LIGO and Virgo collaborations has opened up new avenues to explore our Universe. This white paper outlines the challenges and gains expected in gravitational-wave searches at frequencies above the LIGO/Virgo band, with a particular focus on Ultra High-Frequency Gravitational Waves (UHF-GWs), covering the MHz to GHz range. The absence of known astrophysical sources in this frequency range provides a unique opportunity to discover physics beyond the Standard Model operating both in the early and late Universe, and we highlight some of the most promising gravitational sources. We review several detector concepts that have been proposed to take up this challenge, and compare their expected sensitivity with the signal strength predicted in various models. This report is the summary of the workshop “Challenges and opportunities of high-frequency gravitational wave detection” held at ICTP Trieste, Italy in October 2019, that set up the stage for the recently launched Ultra-High-Frequency Gravitational Wave (UHF-GW) initiative.

Abstract: This work deals with lump-like structures in models described by a single real scalar field in two-dimensional spacetime. We start with a model that supports lump-like configurations and use the deformation procedure to construct scalar field theories that support both lumps and kinks, with the corresponding stability investigation giving rise to new physical systems. Very interestingly, we find models that support stable topological solutions, with the stability potential being able to support a tower of non-negative bound states, generating distinct families of potentials of current interest to quantum mechanics. We also describe models where the lump-like solutions give rise to stability potentials that have the shape of a double well.