Bormio Conference 2026

19 Jan 2026, 08:00 → 23 Jan 2026, 19:00 Europe/Berlin

Bormio, Italy

We are happy to announce the 62^nd International Winter Meeting on Nuclear Physics.
The conference location is Bormio, a beautiful mountain resort in the Italian Alps. 

This long-standing conference is dedicated to bringing together researchers and students from various fields of subatomic physics, such as

• Applied Nuclear Physics
• Detectors & New Facilities
• Fundamental Interactions
• Hadron Physics
• Heavy Ion Physics
• Nuclear Astrophysics & Nuclear Structure
• Particle Physics

For further information, please also visit the Bormio Conference website.

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Pre-Conference School:

To improve the participation of students and young researchers at the conference, a pre-conference school is taking place on SUNDAY, 18 January 2026: There will be topical lectures covering the basis of the main physics topics dealt with in the conference.

Students are asked to tick the appropriate box on the registration form if they wish to attend.

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Monday 19 January

Monday Morning

1 Welcome

2 Mapping neutron stars inside and out

NICER, the Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer, is an X-ray telescope on the International Space Station. Its primary mission has been to measure neutron star masses and radii, quantities that enable us to investigate the nature of the ultradense nuclear matter in the star’s cores. NICER exploits relativistic effects on X-rays emitted from the hot magnetic polar caps of millisecond pulsars, a technique that also lets us map the hot emitting regions on the stellar surface. I will present NICER’s latest results and discuss the implications for our understanding of ultradense matter, pulsar emission, and stellar magnetic fields. I will also explain how we are now extending the technique to study accreting neutron stars, in preparation for the launch of eXTP in 2030 and eventually NewAthena.

Speaker: Anna Watts (University of Amsterdam)

3 Facility status and new results from FRIB

The Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) is a new generation fragmentation facility which produces radioactive ion beams across the nuclear chart. FRIB began its experimental program in mid 2022. During this time several experiments have taken place together with detector developments and beam improvements. In this talk I will provide an update on the status of FRIB and present some first results from the first three years of operations.

Speaker: Artemisia Spyrou (Michigan State University)

10:40 Coffee Break

4 Radioactive Atoms and Molecules for Nuclear Science

A precise understanding of the interactions between an atomic nucleus and its bound electrons enables the exploration of physical phenomena across a wide range of energy scales. Atoms and molecules containing nuclei with specific combinations of protons and neutrons can be artificially created to enhance and probe particular aspects of nucleon–nucleon and electron–nucleon interactions. Precision measurements of these systems provide unique and complementary insights into the structure of atomic nuclei as well as the properties of fundamental particles and interactions. In this talk, I will present recent laser spectroscopy results from our studies of light atoms, aimed at elucidating nuclear structure, and of molecules containing the heaviest elements, designed to probe fundamental interactions. I will also discuss the broader implications of these experiments for addressing open questions in nuclear and particle physics.

Speaker: Ronald F. Garcia Ruiz (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA)

5 A multi-TeV muon collider: a challenging opportunity

Muon colliders provide a unique route to deliver the highest parton energy collisions that enable discovery searches and precision measurements to extend our understanding of the fundamental laws of physics. All this at a single collider and on a feasible timescale, whenever the full R&D plan could be accpmplished. Muons as heavy leptons can be accelerated in rings up to very high energies, without fundamental limitation from synchrotron radiation. The International Muon Collider Collaboration IMCC at CERN is working on a 10 TeV facility, which could even reuse existing tunnels and proving to be feasible and sustainable with technologies that can be made available in the near future. The physics potential of muon colliders has been investigated quite extensively over the past years as a viable path toward the high-energy, high-luminosity frontier beyond the expected reach, despite the challenges to produce bright muon beams and mitigate the drawbacks arising from the short muon lifetime at rest. The status of the project, future plans and synergies will be discussed.

Speaker: Nadia Pastrone (INFN Torino, Italy)

Monday Afternoon

6 Probing the ρ⁰–Proton Interaction Using Femtoscopic Correlations at the LHC

Experimental data on the interaction between vector mesons and nucleons are a crucial input for understanding the pattern of in-medium chiral symmetry restoration (CSR) and dynamically generated excited nucleon states. However, accessing these interactions is hampered by the short lived nature of the vector mesons, making traditional scattering experiments unfeasible. In recent years the ALICE Collaboration performed femtoscopy studies with particle pairs produced in nucleus nucleus collisions to investigate the interactions on challenging systems like ϕ—p. Leveraging the excellent PID capabilities of the ALICE experiment, coupled with the copious production of mesons and protons at the LHC in pp collisions, ALICE presents the first-ever measurement of the ρ⁰–p correlation function as a function of the relative momentum. The data are interpreted employing calculations within the framework of unitarised chiral perturbation theory in a coupled-channel ansatz. This measurement represents an unprecedented opportunity to study the nature of the excited N, in particular N(1700) and N(1900), unveiling if these states are molecular in nature and shedding light on possible signatures of CSR at LHC energies.

Speaker: Maximilian Korwieser (Technical University of Munich, Germany)

7 Two-photon exchange effects in muonic hydrogen

Motivated by the expected improvement in the experimental determination of the μH Lamb shift measurement, I will present an updated fit of the unpolarised nucleon structure functions from available data in the nucleon resonance region in combination with Regge fits to the high-energy and deep inelastic region. The evaluation of the structure functions in the resonance region is building upon earlier work describing the resonance electrocouplings from exclusive data. The new fits of exclusive data will be a crucial part of a new parametrisation of the nucleon inelastic structure functions valid in a broad kinematic range. For the high-energy region, we start from the Regge-like parametrisation used for the structure functions $F_{1,2}$ in previous studies. The resonance and Regge regions are connected through analytic parametrizations constrained from inclusive electron scattering data from JLab. In this poster, I will present first results on the new parametrisation of nucleon unpolarised structure functions which will lead to updated data-driven evaluations of the two-photon exchange effects in the μH Lamb shift.

Speaker: Panagiotis Kalamidas (Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Germany)

8 High-Precision Mass Measurements of Actinides at TRIGA-Trap for Nuclear Structure Studies

Atomic masses are indispensable in nuclear structure and astrophysics research, and Penning-traps enable to determine atomic masses with exceptional precision and accuracy [1]. TRIGA-Trap is a high-precision, double Penning-trap mass spectrometer located in the reactor hall of the TRIGA research reactor in Mainz, Germany, where mass measurements of heavy radioactive nuclides -- particularly actinides -- are performed with the PI-ICR (Phase-Imaging Ion-Cyclotron Resonance) technique [2,3]. Latest mass measurements of nuclides in the vicinity of the deformed sub-shell closure at neutron number N=152 -- namely Pu-244, Am-241, Am-243, Cm-248, and Cf-249 -- have achieved uncertainties at the parts-per-billion (ppb) level and will be included in the upcoming AME (Atomic Mass Evaluation) dataset [4]. These precise mass measurements have been used to explore nuclear structure through mass filters, such as S_2n (two-neutron separation energies) and delta V_(p,n) (average p-n interaction of the most loosely-bound two nucleons), as well as their differentials [4]. Recently, mass measurements in the Pu isotopic chain -- including Pu-238, Pu-239, Pu-240, and Pu-242 -- have been performed. These will enhance the current dataset and contribute to ongoing nuclear structure studies. In particular, the shell evolution with increase in neutron number N towards the N=152 sub-shell closure for proton number Z=94 can be investigated, and the predictive capabilities of various nuclear shell models for heavy and deformed nuclei can be assessed. Lastly, preparations for mass measurement of Bk-249 are also underway. This presentation will provide an overview of the current status of the TRIGA-Trap experiment, discuss recent results along with their application in nuclear structure evaluation, and outline future prospects. References: [1] J. Dilling, K. Blaum, M. Brodeur et al. Annu. Rev. Nucl. Part. Sci. 68(1) (2018). [2] S. Eliseev, K. Blaum, M. Block et al. Phys. Rev. Lett.110(8), 082501 (2013). [3] S. Chenmarev, S. Nagy, J.J.W. van de Laar et al. Eur. Phys. J. A 59(2), 29 (2023). [4] S. Chenmarev, K. Blaum, M. Block et al. Eur. Phys. J. A 60, 204 (2024)

Speaker: Tanvir Sayed (Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik MPIK, Heidelberg)

9 MMC based high-precision spectroscopy on muonic atoms

The QUARTET collaboration aims for high-precision spectroscopy of muonic atoms at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) to extract nuclear charge radii in simple atomic systems. A key motivation of the experiment is to reduce the relative uncertainties of nuclear charge radii for stable isotopes ranging from Lithium to Neon. The current uncertainties in this region suffer mainly from experimental uncertainties. To fill this uncertainty gap, Metallic Magnetic Calorimeters (MMC) are employed, which provide a unique combination of superb energy resolution, linearity and stability. This contribution will present the experimental concept and first results from the beam time conducted in October 2025, highlighting the performance of the MMC-based detection system and the current status of data analysis.

Speaker: Tim Redelbach (Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Germany)

10 Studies of the isolated hadron response with the projective eta configuration of the ATLAS Tile Calorimeter

The Tile Calorimeter (TileCal) is a crucial component of the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), responsible for measuring the energy of strongly interacting particles (hadrons) produced in proton–proton collisions. Accurate simulation of its performance is essential for physics analyses relying on precise jet and missing transverse energy measurements. To validate the new readout and calibration systems, extensive test beam campaigns were carried out at the CERN at Super Proton Synchrotron using muon, electron, and hadron beams over a wide energy range. In this work, three spare TileCal modules were exposed to isolated hadron beams to study the calorimeter response to pions and protons with energies between 10 and 180 GeV. The results were compared to predictions from the Geant4-based ATLAS simulation used to model proton–proton collisions at the LHC. The comparison shows good agreement within uncertainties, confirming the reliability of the TileCal response modeling and providing valuable input for future calibration and simulation improvements.

Speaker: Siranush Asatryan (A. Alikhanyan National Science Laboratory, Armenia)

11 Structural properties of Yb isotopes: Impact of deformation on the bubble structure and symmetry energy.

A systematic study of Yb isotopes of even-even nuclei with neutron number N =60-130 has been done with axially deformed covariant density functional theory (CDFT) [1] using finite-range interaction DD-ME2 [2] and zero-range interaction DD-PC1 [3]. The shape coexistence and transitional nature of nuclei are found in the neighbourhood of magic nuclei through the potential energy curve. The potential energy curve is obtained by performing the constraint calculation on the axial mass quadrupole moment. The bubble structure is characterised by the reduction in the density at the centre of the nucleus (r=0). The reduction in the density at the centre is due to the vacancy in the s-orbital (l=0), and other non-zero l’s are suppressed at the centre and do not contribute. The reduction in density is estimated in terms of depletion fraction (DF). The DF is found to be decreasing with the quadrupole deformation in the s-orbital region of the chosen series, and beyond this, it is increasing with the quadrupole deformation. The symmetry energy is directly connected with the isospin asymmetry and is defined as the energy penalty in breaking the isospin asymmetry. The symmetry energy of finite nuclei is obtained with the coherent density fluctuation model (CDFM) [4]. The symmetry energy is found to be affected by the quadrupole deformation. The symmetry energy for the oblate shape is found to be higher than that of the spherical and prolate shapes, and it decreases with an increase in prolate deformation and isospin asymmetry. The symmetry energy is also found to be correlated with the depletion fraction when the effect of quadrupole deformation is absent. References. 1. T. Niksic, N. Paar, D. Vretenar, P. Ring, Computer Physics Communications 185 (6) (2014) 1808-1821. 2. G.A. Lalazissis, T. Niksic, D. Vretenar, P. Ring, Phys. Rev. C 71 (2005) 024312. 3. T. Niksic, D. Vretenar, P. Ring, Phys. Rev. C 78(3) (2008) 034318. 4. A.N. Antonov, V.A. Nikolaev, I.Z. Petkov, Zeitschrift fur Physik A Atomic and Nuclei 297 (3) (1980) 257-260.

Speaker: Abdullah Modabbir (Department of Physics, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India)

12 Cyclotron production of manganese isotopes via deuteron-beam irradiation of nickel in the energy range of 0–24 MeV nuclear reactions

Manganese isotopes have recently found increasing potential applications in various fields, including nuclear medicine. In the present work, the excitation functions for some manganese isotopes have been measured from deuteron-induced nuclear reactions on natural nickel metals from 24 MeV energy down to threshold using the well-established stacked-foil activation procedure. The activation products were measured for emitted characteristic gamma lines using HPGe γ-ray spectrometry. The data was used for the calculation of cross sections of the radionuclides of interests, the 52,54,56Mn. The measured cross sections have also been compared with the all accessed literature data and also the theoretical prediction of Talys code via its latest library, the TENDL-2021. Present work show reasonable agreement with the literature data for the isotopes of interest. Our work show that, on the other hand, the theoretical data extracted from the TENDL-2021 library could not reproduce the experimental data of this study. The present measured data could have potential applications in improving the predicting capability of the Talys nuclear reactions model code as well as serve as additional data for nuclear reactions cross sections database. KEYWORD: Cyclotron, deuteron-particles, cross-sections, excitation functions, Radionuclides of 52Mn, 54Mn and 56Mn.

Speaker: Mr Ahmed Usman (Umaru Musa Yar'adua University, Katsina, Nigeria)

13 Phenomenon of the Gray Disk in 𝑝𝑝 pp and 𝑛𝑝 Collisions

This work presents an analysis of the scaling properties of total and elastic cross sections in proton–proton and neutron–proton collisions from ISR to LHC and cosmic-ray energies. Using the gray disk model, we introduce two energy-dependent functions, R(s) and f(s), that describe the evolution of the effective interaction radius and the gluon saturation density, respectively. The parametrization is consistent with the Froissart bound and provides an excellent description of the experimental data across several decades in energy, including results from Bevatron, CERN, Fermilab, and Pierre Auger Observatory. The comparison between pp and np systems reveals a universal asymptotic behavior, suggesting that both approach the black disk limit at ultra-high energies. These findings contribute to a unified understanding of hadronic scattering in the pre-saturation regime.

Speaker: Cristal Robles Jacobo (Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP), Mexico)

Tuesday 20 January

Tuesday Morning

14 Probing Fundamental Interactions through Precision Spectroscopy of Exotic Atoms

From dark matter and dark energy, to neutrino oscillations and the lack of antimatter in the universe, there is growing evidence that the Standard Model is incomplete. Tests of Quantum Electrodynamics (QED) with few-electron systems offer a promising avenue for looking for new physics, as QED is the best understood quantum field theory and extremely precise predictions can be obtained for few-electron systems. Unfortunately, despite decades of effort, QED is poorly tested in the regime of strong coulomb fields, precisely the region where new exotic physics may be most visible. I will present a new paradigm for probing higher-order QED effects using spectroscopy of Rydberg states in exotic atoms, where orders of magnitude stronger field strengths can be achieved while nuclear uncertainties may be neglected [1]. Such tests are now possible due to the advent of quantum sensing microcalorimeter x-ray detectors [2] and new facilities providing low-energy intense beams of exotic particles for precision physics. First measurements have been successfully conducted at J-PARC with muonic atoms [3], but antiprotonic atoms offer the highest sensitivity to strong-field QED. I will present an overview of the PAX project, a new experiment for antiprotonic atom x-ray spectroscopy with a large-area transition edge sensor (TES) x-ray detector at the ELENA facility at CERN. I will present the first results from the test-beam measurements for PAX conducted in 2025, show the first experimental spectra for antiprotonic atoms obtained with a TES detector, and discuss the next steps to improve the precision of the technique. Finally, the experimental paradigm can also be reversed such to study low-lying states and access nuclear properties, such as those pursued in the QUARTET collaboration at Paul Scherrer Institute to improve the charge radii of light nuclei [4]. I will present new results from QUARTET, and discuss synergies between atomic and nuclear physics accessible with these experiments. 1] N. Paul et al, Physical Review Letters 126, 173001 (2021). [2] J. Ullom and D. Bennett, Superconductor Science and Technology 28, 8 (2015). [3] T. Okumura et al, Physical Review Letters 30, 173001 (2023). [4] B. Ohayon et al, Physics 6, 206 (2024).

Speaker: Prof. Nancy Paul (Laboratoire Kastler Brossel)

15 Instrumentation for advances in PET medical imaging

The shift in modern medicine toward early diagnosis and prevention demands higher sensitivity and specificity in Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging. Emerging long-axial PET scanners equipped with Time-of-Flight (TOF) technology offer promising solutions to meet these requirements. PET systems utilizing ultra-fast gamma-ray detection—enabled by the Cherenkov effect or by using short and fast scintillator crystals—have the potential to enhance TOF PET performance, increase overall sensitivity, and reduce system costs compared with conventional pure scintillator-based PET scanners. In TOF PET detectors that incorporate fast gamma-ray detection, an additional simplification becomes feasible: the conventional axial geometry of the scanner can be replaced with planar detector modules, resulting in a more flexible and potentially more cost-effective PET system. This talk will review recent developments in detector technologies for medical imaging, including advances in fast light sensors. It will present proof-of-principle experiments and Monte Carlo–based feasibility studies and optimizations, and highlight the strong synergy between instrumentation for particle and nuclear physics and innovations in medical imaging technologies.

Speaker: Peter Krizan (J. Stefan Inst. and U. Ljubljana)

10:30 Coffee Break

16 Exploring Stars in Underground Laboratories

For more than three decades, it has been known that studying astrophysically relevant nuclear reactions between stable nuclei requires high-intensity and high-resolution beams and extremely low-background environments, achievable only in underground accelerator laboratories. By suppressing cosmic ray–induced events by several orders of magnitude, these facilities enable direct measurements of reaction cross sections at or near the energies where they occur inside stars. Such measurements provide crucial insights into the processes that govern stellar evolution and nucleosynthesis. Following the pioneering work of LUNA at Gran Sasso, Italy, a new generation of underground accelerators is extending this approach toward higher energies and greater experimental versatility. Among them, the Felsenkeller laboratory in Dresden combines a 5 MV accelerator with a low-background environment and state of the art detection systems, offering unique opportunities to explore the fusion processes that power the stars. This talk will provide a general overview of underground nuclear astrophysics and present recent results from the LUNA and Felsenkeller laboratories.

Speaker: Eliana Masha (Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Germany)

17 Imaging atomic nuclei through high-energy nuclear collisions

Speaker: Giuliano Giacalone (CERN)

18 Current and future programs to study the ΛN interaction from scattering experiments

The hyperon-nucleon interactions are fundamental information to describe many-body nucleon systems containing hyperons, such as hypernuclei and neutron stars. By extending the nuclear force to baryon-baryon interactions, we also can understand the nuclear force as the interaction between quark clusters, because new aspects of baryon-baryon interaction are expected to appear especially at short the distance in hyperon-nucleon and hyperon-hyperon interactions. Now, new attempts to describe the hyperon-nucleon interactions within the chiral effective field theory framework. In order to make such interaction theories more realistic, more hyperon-proton scattering data are necessary. In J-PARC, we succeeded in providing new and accurate Σ proton scattering data for three different channels. These new data are now used to constrain the theoretical models. From this April, we have just started Λp scattering experiment using photo-produced Λ particles at BL33LEP beam line in SPring-8 (HYPS experiment). We produce Λ particles via the γp→K+Λ reaction using γ beam of 1.5-2.4 GeV in a liquid hydrogen target. Then Λp scattering events will be detected by the same detector system (CATCH) used in the Σp scattering experiment. Now we plan to take data over 2.5 years to accumulate ~107 momentum-tagged Λ beam to detect several thousand Λp scattering events. In this experiment, differential cross sections of 0.3-0.6 GeV/c Λ momentum range will be derived. In J-PARC, we also proposed Λp scattering experiment (E86 experiment) to measure spin observables of Λp scattering using highly spin polarized Λ beam as a future program. In addition, a collaborative work between Lattice QCD calculation and ΣN cusp measurement is ongoing to reveal the full picture of the ΛN interaction. In this presentation, I will review the achievements of YN scattering experiments so far and introduce the ongoing and new projects to understand the ΛN interaction.

Speaker: Koji Miwa (Tohoku University, Japan)

Tuesday Afternoon

19 Proton structure, from HERA to the EIC

The discovery of the pointlike constituents of the proton inspired massive experimental efforts to use deep inelastic scattering (DIS) to understand the partonic structure of hadrons. Early experiments were performed at fixed-target facilities, which made important findings but were limited in accessible kinematics. The Hadron-Electron Ring Accelerator (HERA), operated at DESY between 1991-2007, pioneered high-energy DIS as the first facility to collide electron (and positron) beams with proton beams at center of mass energies up to 320 GeV. The data from HERA revolutionized our understanding of the proton’s internal structure, and continue to provide critical constraints on global analyses of parton distribution functions (PDFs) of the proton. The electron-ion collider (EIC), under development at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), will succeed HERA as a next-generation DIS collider facility. The EIC will facilitate fully polarized collisions between electrons and protons, at lower center of mass energies but two orders of magnitude higher luminosity than HERA. Further, the EIC will allow collisions with ions, ranging from deuterium and helium to heavy nuclei such as lead. This talk will discuss our evolving understanding of the partonic structure of protons and nuclei, from the lasting legacy of HERA to the projected impact of the EIC.

Speaker: Tyler Kutz (Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Germany)

20 ML for physics

Speaker: Lucie Flek (Uni Bonn)

21 The n2EDM experiment at Paul Scherrer Institute

The electro-weak part of Standard Model of Particle Physics predicts a neutron electric dipole moment (nEDM) of 10-32 e cm, far below current experimental sensitivities. Therefore, a non-vanishing nEDM by current experiments would be an unambiguous signature for new physics. Furthermore, any signal would indicate additional charge-parity violation beyond the Standard Model, giving new clues to origin of the observed matter-antimatter asymmetry in the Universe. With the n2EDM experiment located at Paul Scherrer Institute, we aim to search for an nEDM with unprecedented sensitivity. The goal is to increase the sensitivity by an order of magnitude with respect to the current best limit of 1.8 × 10-26 e cm. In this talk, an overview of the experiment, preliminary results from the commissioning and glimpse at our first data collection period will be presented.

Speaker: Gian Luca Caratsch (PSI Villigen/ETH Zürich)

22 Precision measurements in the beta decay of 6He : Presentation and status of the b-stiled project

Precision measurements in beta decay play an essential role in the search for new physics beyond the standard model (SM), by probing “exotic” phenomena such as scalar and tensor interactions. The presence of these interactions would lead to deviations in specific observables from their SM predictions. The study of the full beta energy spectrum offers a sensitive mean to probe these exotic interactions. The goal of the b-STILED (b: Search of Tensor Interactions in nucLear bEta Decay) project is to perform the most precise measurement of the beta-energy spectrum in 6He decay. The objective is to extract the Fierz interference term b with a precision in the order of 4.10-3. This term depends linearly on tensor interaction. A limiting instrumental effect in previous measurements of the beta energy spectrum is the partial energy loss due to electron backscattering outside the detector volume. The present project used two techniques to mitigate this effect. The first uses a low energy beam of 6He+ ions (25 keV) implanted between two scintillation detectors whereas the second uses a high energy beam of 6He+ ions (312 MeV) implanted inside one scintillation detector to form a 4π calorimeter. Both techniques ensure the deposition of the entire energy of the beta particles. Both measurements were performed at GANIL. This contribution will present the overall project centering on the analysis of the second experiment, particularly on the creation of contamination through nuclear reactions, their identification and estimation of their relative presence.

Speaker: Romain Garreau (LPC Caen, France)

23 Isospin-breaking corrections to the hadronic vacuum polarisation contribution to the muon g-2

Isospin-breaking corrections to the hadronic vacuum polarisation contribution to the muon g-2 are one of the largest contribution to the error in the latest lattice calculations. To reach the precision of the direct measurement of the muon anomalous magnetic moment, it is therefore crucial to reduce the uncertainties contributing to the total error of hadronic vacuum polarisation. I will present results from a new calculational setup that improves the statistical precision for constant numerical cost.

Speaker: Sebastian Lahrtz (Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Germany)

Wednesday 21 January

Wednesday Morning

24 Recent results from the LHCb experiment

Speaker: Johannes Albrecht (TU Dortmund, Germany)

25 From neutron stars to LHC: investigating hadronic interactions with correlations

Improving the knowledge on how the strong interaction acts among hadrons is one of the frontiers in nuclear physics. A large amount of interactions among stable or unstable hadrons have not been measured yet and theoretical calculations with effective lagrangians and/or starting from first principles, with quarks and gluons as degrees of freedom, are still under development and in need of experimental data. For nucleons, scattering experiments and measurements of nuclei binding energies have been successfully employed in the past to constrain two- and three-body interactions but when hadrons containing at least one strange quark, such as hyperons, are involved, the experimental access becomes extremely challenging. The unstable nature of hyperon beams makes such measurements very difficult and significantly reduce the experimental data available. The strong interaction amongst strange hadrons and nucleons is particularly relevant in understanding the possible presence of hyperons in the core of neutron stars. Indeed, the strong interaction among hadrons, including hyperons, drives the equation of state of dense neutron-rich matter inside neutron stars. In this talk we show how with the measurement of correlation functions involving hyperons performed by the ALICE experiment in the last year allowed us to build a first realistic equations of state for neutron stars. New correlation measurements obtained in the on-going LHC Run 3 data-taking period will be discussed. This overview will show that the correlation technique paved a new era for hadron physics with the possibility of measuring with precision two- and three- body interactions in the strange sector and beyond.

Speaker: Valentina Mantovani Sarti (TUM)

10:30 Coffee Break

26 Putting nuclear physics into and getting nuclear physics out of studying neutron stars

We have entered the era of multi-messenger nuclear astrophysics; bringing together a host of astrophysical observations and nuclear experimental data to measure the properties of neutron star matter and the nuclear force in neutron-rich systems. In order to combine disparate data sets with meaningful uncertainty quantification, over the past decade statistical inference techniques employing ensembles of nuclear models have been increasingly employed. We will discuss recent attempts to combine nuclear experimental data and astrophysical observations to infer the properties of nuclear and neutron star matter, with an emphasis on the systematic uncertainties that arise. We illustrate the process with one particular example: inferring the nuclear symmetry energy and the material properties of the neutron star crust from potential observations of neutron star crust shattering during the inspiral phase of a binary neutron star merger.

Speaker: William Newton (East Texas A&M University, USA)

27 Initial state radiation in leptonic collisions

Speaker: Stefano Frixione (CERN)

28 Search for Cosmic-Ray Antinuclei from Dark Matter with the GAPS Antarctic Balloon Mission

The General Antiparticle Spectrometer (GAPS) is a balloon-borne experiment,
firstly optimized to identify low-energy (≲ 0.25 GeV/n) cosmic antinuclei from dark
matter annihilation or decay. With a novel detection approach that uses the uniquely
characterized atomic X-rays and charged particles from the decay of exotic atoms,
the GAPS program will deliver an unprecedented sensitivity to low-energy cosmic
antideuterons, an essentially background-free signature of dark matter. In addition,
GAPS will deliver a precise antiproton spectrum with high statistics in an unexplored
energy range and leading sensitivity to cosmic antihelium.
The GAPS detector instrument consists of a tracker of >1000 custom lithium-drifted
silicon detectors, which is cooled by a novel oscillating heat pipe thermal system;
and a precision-timing, large-area time-of-flight system. The GAPS project has
completed the on-ground commissioning in Antarctic and anticipates its first of three
Antarctic flights in late 2025. This talk will cover the overview of the GAPS mission
while highlighting results from the Antarctic ground testing campaign.

Speaker: Riccardo Munini (INFN - Trieste, Italy)

Wednesday Afternoon

29 Searching for Axions and High Frequency Gravitational Waves with Table-Top Experiments

With the observation of gravitational waves (GWs) in 2015 by the terrestial interferometer LIGO, a new era of fundamental physics begun. Since then, a network of GW ground-based interferemeters has scrutinized the band of frequencies in the Hz to kHz range, finding almost hundred mergers of binaries of black holes or neutron stars. In 2023, a signal in the nHz band was discovered using the timing of radio signals from pulsars. The race for the exploration of other bands is one of the most active and potentially groundbreaking areas of physics. Accessing high frequency GWs (HFGWs), in the range kHz-GHz, is of high interest for multiple reasons. For example, the recent recognition that some odds-on models of dark matter generate signals in this range, caused by primordial black hole mergers or dynamics of over densities of ultra-light dark matter. The use of cavities in strong magnetic fields has been identified as one of the most promising techniques to search for HFGWs as well as Axions. In this context, we are currently establishing the GravNet (Global Network of Cavities to Search for Gravitational Waves) project, that aims to significantly improve these ideas towards the detection of HFGWs. The scheme utilizes the synergy of different technologies and methodology approaches and is fundamentally based on synchronous measurements of cavity signals from multiple devices operating in magnetic fields at different locations, boosting the sensitivity towards HFGWs by more than three orders of magnitude compared to current approaches. In this talk, we will present the key concepts of GravNet, results of preliminary studies and possibilities to join this initiative.

Speaker: Prof. Matthias Schott (University of Bonn)

30 The DUNE experiment

The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) is one of the most ambitious neutrino oscillation projects ever conceived. Currently under construction at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) in South Dakota, DUNE will exploit a high-power, wide-band neutrino beam produced at Fermilab. In this talk, I will review the broad physics program of the experiment, which includes precision tests of the three-flavor oscillation paradigm, the determination of the neutrino mass ordering, and the search for CP violation in the lepton sector. I will also discuss DUNE’s rich astroparticle physics potential, based on the observation of natural sources. Special emphasis will be placed on the status of the construction and on the technology validation activities carried out at CERN through the ProtoDUNE detectors during 2024–2025.

Speaker: Esteban Javier Cristaldo Morales (Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, Italy)

31 Hidden Engines: The Rise of non-jetted AGN as Cosmic Neutrino Sources

Recent IceCube observations reveal a significant excess of TeV neutrinos from the Seyfert II galaxy NGC 1068, marking the first robust association of astrophysical neutrinos with a non-jetted AGN despite the absence of gamma-ray emission. The remarkable X-ray brightness of this source suggests that dense X-ray photon fields near the supermassive black hole may act simultaneously as targets for neutrino-producing interactions and as efficient gamma-ray absorbers. The latest IceCube population studies are starting to show a correlation between neutrinos and X-ray bright AGN. Together, these results point to obscured, non-jetted AGN as the first emerging population of extragalactic neutrino sources.

Speaker: Chiara Bellenghi (TU Munich, Germany)

32 First observation of (anti)deuteron formation from resonance-decay nucleons

The microscopic mechanism responsible for the formation of light (anti)(hyper)nuclei in hadron–hadron collisions remains one of the open questions in high-energy nuclear physics. While statistical hadronization and nucleon coalescence models both reproduce measured yields, momentum spectra, and fluctuations in pp, p–A, and A–A collisions at ultra-relativistic energies, they are based on fundamentally different physical assumptions, leading to model-dependent interpretations. In this work, new femtoscopy results on pion–deuteron correlations in pp collisions at √s = 13 TeV, measured by the ALICE experiment, are presented. The correlation function directly probes the residual interaction between pions and nucleons originating from short-lived Δ decays, followed by their coalescence into deuterons. This measurement provides, for the first time, a model-independent demonstration that (anti)deuteron production in ultra-relativistic pp collisions proceeds via nucleon coalescence. The results offer new constraints for the modeling of light- and heavy-nuclei formation in cosmic-ray interactions and dark-matter decay scenarios.

Speaker: Maximilian Mahlein (TU Munich, Germany)

33 Direct Measurement of the $^{59}$Cu(p,$\alpha$)$^{56}$Ni Reaction with the Multi Sampling Ionization Chamber Detector (MUSIC)

We report the preliminary results from a direct cross‐section measurement of the $^{59}$Cu(p, $\alpha$) $^{56}$Ni reaction, performed in inverse kinematics using the high-efficiency MUSIC active-target detector at the ReA6 facility at FRIB. This reaction is critical in explosive astrophysical environments. In type I X-ray bursts, where rapid proton capture and $\alpha$-induced processes drive the thermonuclear runaway, the competition between the $^{59}$Cu(p, $\alpha$) and $^{59}$Cu(p, $\gamma$) reactions governs the breakout from the NiCu cycle. This breakout is essential for synthesizing heavier nuclei and ultimately shapes the X-ray burst light curves and the composition of burst ashes. Similarly, in the $\nu$p-process—operating in the proton-rich ejecta of core-collapse supernovae—the $^{59}$Cu(p, $\alpha$) reaction rate strongly influences the formation of heavy, proton-rich isotopes that are observed in the aftermath of these stellar explosions. Our measurement used a $^{59}$Cu beam delivered at 8.41 MeV/u with an intensity of ~1×10$^{4}$ pps, covering the center-of-mass energy range from 2.38 to 5.57 MeV. This energy window lies within the Gamow range for temperatures above 2 GK—a regime critically relevant for both X-ray bursts and the $\nu$p-process. The experiment employed methane gas in the MUSIC chamber to enable high-rate detection and event-by-event identification was achieved through characteristic energy-loss patterns, allowing a clear separation of (p, $\alpha$) events from potential contaminants.

Speaker: Prof. Eilens Lopez Saavedra (Argonne National Laboratory)

Thursday 22 January

Thursday Morning

34 New Forces at Finite Density: Supernovae, Compact Stars, and Axion Signals from the Stellar Graveyard

Neutron stars and white dwarfs do not just produce axions—they change how axions behave. At high baryon density, the axion potential shifts and nucleon properties are modified, which can alter compact-star structure and amplify axion–nucleon interactions. That means more axion emission in supernovae and stronger, model-independent bounds. I will also outline a simple in-medium axion EFT that exposes a previously missed tree-level production channel, further sharpening supernova constraints, and will connect these ideas to current searches across the stellar graveyard.

Speaker: Andreas Weiler (TU Munich, Germany)

35 CMOS pixel sensors in ALICE

The ALICE experiment has been pioneering the development of monolithic CMOS pixel sensors. ALICE employs CMOS pixel detectors in its pursuit to improve impact parameter resolution and tracking efficiency at low $p_\mathrm{T}$. Their low power consumption, high granularity and high level of integration make CMOS Pixel Sensors well suited for the construction of low mass detectors providing high pointing resolution and tracking efficiency at low $p_\mathrm{T}$. The current ALICE Inner Tracking System, called ITS2, is the largest pixel detector in high-energy physics with an active surface of 10\,m$^2$ and approximately 12.5~billion pixels of a size of approximately $30 \times 30$\,$\mu$m$^2$. The upcoming ITS3 upgrade scheduled for LHC Long Shutdown 3 will be the first to employ bending of 50\,$\mu$m thin, wafer-scale sensors allowing for a significant reduction of the material budget by a factor 4 compared to ITS2 and improve the pointing resolution by a factor 2. The ALICE 3 Vertex Detector, planned for the LHC Long Shutdown 4, will push the limits by being located inside the beam pipe enduring particle loads of 100\,MHz/cm$^2$ and featuring a pixel size of $10 \times 10 $\,$\mu$m$^2$ leading to an unprecedented integration circuit density. Its proximity to the interaction point combined with the small pixel size further improves pointing resolution at low $p_\mathrm{T}$ by a factor of 5 over ITS3. This contribution will provide an overview of the current and future CMOS pixel sensor-based detectors in the ALICE experiment.

Speaker: Felix Reidt (CERN)

10:30 Coffee Break

36 Machine learning methods for BSM searches

Speaker: Lukas Heinrich (TUM)

37 Current status and future prospects of FAIR

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Speaker: Thomas Nilsson (GSI / FAIR)

38 Overview and Recent Results of the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station

The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) was installed in 2011 on the International Space Station and has been operating continuously ever since. With a staggering dataset of more than 250 billion detected cosmic rays, AMS has enabled high-precision studies of cosmic-ray properties, including detailed measurements of their rare antimatter components. In this talk, I will review the AMS experiment, summarize key scientific results obtained so far, and discuss ongoing research on heavy antimatter. I will also outline the prospects for future measurements and the mission's long-term scientific potential.

Speaker: Alberto Oliva (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Bologna, Italy)

Thursday Afternoon

39 Highlights from BESIII Experiment

Speaker: Xiaoyan Shen (Intitute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences)

40 Measurement of double electron-capture Q-value with the JYFLTRAP mass spectrometer

Decay Q-values are necessary to calculate the phase-space factors which determine the decay rates of double beta and double electron-capture decays. Precision measurements of the masses of these isotopes unambiguously determine their Q-values, and this work discusses the result of a Penning trap mass measurement obtained for a double electron-capture candidate using the Phase-Imaging Ion-Cyclotron-Resonance technique at JYFLTRAP in Jyväskylä, Finland. The double Penning trap system allows ions to execute multiple rounds of mass selective cooling in the gas-filled preparation trap to purify the ion bunch and select for the ions of interest. Using this trap, we report the measurement of a significant departure in the mass from the value listed in the 2020 Atomic Mass Evaluation and discuss how this impacts the Q-value and resulting predictions of the decay half-life.

Speaker: Brian Kootte (University of Jyväskylä, Finland)

41 A Bayesian approach to the Coulomb breakup of 19C

The breakup of weakly bound nuclei is a key probe of nuclear structure at the limits of stability. In this work, we investigate the breakup of the one-neutron halo nucleus 19C on a lead target at 69AMeV using the Coulomb-Corrected Eikonal approximation (CCE). To rigorously quantify uncertainties and constrain model parameters, we employ a Bayesian analysis framework for the description of 19C, more specifically on its binding energy and asymptotic normalization constant (ANC). Posterior distributions on these two quantities are inferred from the comparison of precise reaction calculations to experimental cross sections measured at RIKEN as a function of the 18C-n relative energy. Using these posteriors leads also to a good agreement with the cross sections measured as a function of the scattering angle.These experimental cross section as a function of the center of mass energy are indeed used during the computation of the posteriors. Comparison between the posteriors and the experimental cross sections as a function of the scattering angle. Our results demonstrate that Bayesian inference, when combined with the CCE, provides a powerful methodology for interpreting breakup data of exotic nuclei. It enables us to infer reliable estimates of structure observables with meaningful uncertainties. '

Speaker: Quentin Bozet (Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Germany)

42 A Search For Hexaquarks At Belle II

Standard hadrons are composed of either a quark-antiquark pair or three quarks, with their properties accurately described by the quark model. However, ”exotic” hadrons, containing more than three quarks or including gluons, are also theorized. The 2003 discovery of the X(3873) by the Belle collaboration, a four-quark state with unexpected properties, sparked intense interest in these exotic mesons. Subsequent observations of tetraquarks (by LHCb and BESIII) and pentaquarks (by LHCb) have further fueled this research, leading to investigations of even more complex structures, such as six-quark states. Despite this early prediction, no experimental evidence for the H-Dibaryon has been found. Nevertheless, ongoing theoretical research has maintained strong interest in its existence. The search for six-quark states is important not only for understanding hadron structure, but also because their discovery would have implications for astrophysics (neutron stars and neutron-rich matter) and nuclear physics (double hypernuclei). Further experimental searches are needed to explore the possibilities and establish tighter constraints on the existence of these exotic states.

Speaker: Felix Keil (Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Germany)

43 Investigation of Quasielastic Scattering in 24Mg + 92,94,95Mo

Channel coupling plays a crucial role in enhancing sub-barrier fusion in heavy-ion collisions by splitting a single potential barrier into a measurable barrier distribution (BD). Heavy- ion reactions near the Coulomb barrier are particularly sensitive to these coupling effects, making them ideal for investigating the interplay between the relative motion of nuclei and their intrinsic degrees of freedom. Quasielastic (QE) scattering provides a powerful tool to probe such couplings, as the resulting barrier distributions reveal valuable information about nuclear structure, intrinsic excitations, and the underlying reaction dynamics [1, 2]. While the Coupled Channels (CC) framework has successfully reproduced many experimental barrier distributions, remaining discrepancies suggest the involvement of additional weak couplings, such as non-collective excitations and nucleon transfer [3, 4, 5, 6]. Experimental QE barrier distributions (D𝑞𝑒 ) for several systems have been observed to be smoother than predicted by standard CC calculations. This behavior was first reported for the 20Ne+90,92Zr systems [3], where the 20Ne+92Zr barrier distribution was notably smoother than the 20Ne+90Zr one, unlike CC predictions based on dominant rotational modes in deformed 20Ne. Similar results were observed for 20 Ne+61 Ni [4] and 24 Mg+92Zr [5] systems. The discrepancy with CC predictions was attributed to a dissipative mechanism, i.e., internal non- collective excitations, mainly single-particle (s.p.). Theoretically, these effects were accounted by the extension of the CC method using random matrix theory (CC+RMT). Recently, similar study performed for the 20Ne + 92,94,95Mo [6] reactions also highlighted the significance of such dissipative effects on the QE barrier distributions. These findings motivated additional studies to further explore this dissipation cause using different strongly deformed projectiles and targets with varying s.p. level densities. In this context, quasielastic scattering measurements for the 24Mg + 92,94,95Mo systems were carried out at near-barrier energies employing the HI-13 tandem accelerator of the China Institute of Atomic Energy (CIAE), Beijing. The experiment utilized the backscattering technique with silicon (Si) detector arrays to obtain excitation functions for quasielastic scattering at various backward angles. The extracted barrier distributions are being analyzed to investigate the interplay between collective and non-collective couplings. The details of the experiment and the preliminary results of this ongoing study will be presented during the conference. References [1] M. Dasgupta et al., Annu. Rev. Nucl. Part. Sci. 48, 401 (1998). [2] H. Timmers et al., Nucl. Phys. A 584, 190 (1995). [3] E. Piasecki et al., Phys. Rev. C 80, 054613 (2009). [4] A. Trzcińska et al., Phys. Rev. C 92, 034619 (2015). [5] A. Trzcińska et al., Phys. Rev. C 102, 034617 (2020). [6] G. Colucci et al., Nucl. Phys. A 1063, 123197 (2025).

Authors: Kavita Rani1 , G. Colucci1 , A. Trzcińska1 , E. Piasecki1 , M. Wolińska-Cichocka1 , and C. J. Lin et al.2 1 Heavy Ion Laboratory, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, 02-978, Poland 2 China Institute of Atomic Energy, Beijing 102413, China

Speaker: Ms Kavita Rani (University of Warsaw, Poland)

44 Radon reduction in xenon-based rare-event search experiments

In xenon-based rare-event search experiments in underground laboratories, radioactive noble gases dissolved in the xenon, in particular 222Rn and its betta-emitting decay products, have become a dominant internal background source. This contribution will present methods for the continuous active removal of radon from xenon, using cryogenic online distillation as implemented in current setups such as XENONnT, where new records in the purity of Ar-39, Kr-85 and Rn-222 have been achieved. First experimental results from the ERC Advanced Grant project LowRad (no. 101055063) will be reported, in which cryogenic distillation and a dedicated cryogenic xenon heat pump test setup for online purification are developed and characterised with the goal of reaching radon activities of order 0.1 µBq/kg xenon (≈1 222Rn atom per 160 mol). Finally, an outlook will be given on how these purification and diagnostic concepts can be further developed and implemented in the next-generation xenon observatory XLZD.

Speaker: Philipp Schulte (University of Münster, Germany)

Friday 23 January

Friday Morning

45 Towards the Determination of the Absolute Neutrino Mass Scale with Project 8

The neutrino mass is one of the outstanding problems in particle physics and cosmology. Lower limits obtained from neutrino oscillations are in tension with upper limits derived from cosmological measurements. Direct kinematic measurements provide the most promising avenue to determine the absolute neutrino mass scale. Project 8 is a next-generation experiment aiming to directly measure the neutrino mass using the tritium endpoint method, targeting a sensitivity of 40 meV. The development of new technology and methods are required to reach this unprecedented sensitivity. Among these are the development of Cyclotron Radiation Emission Spectroscopy (CRES), a non-destructive method of measuring the differential energy spectrum of decay electrons, and the development of an atomic tritium source to overcome the statistical and systematic limitations associated with molecular tritium. Following our publication of the first neutrino mass upper limit extraction with CRES, we are now focusing on scaling CRES to large-volume detectors. I will provide an overview of the neutrino mass landscape before focusing on Project 8, highlighting already achieved milestones, and showing progress on the atomic source and a large-volume detector.​

Speaker: Juliana Stachurska (Universiteit Gent, Belgium)

46 How charm quarks reveal fundamental properties of QCD

Charm quarks are abundantly produced in ultra-relativistic collisions of protons and heavy ions, benefiting from the high energies achieved at modern colliders. Owing to their unique characteristics, they provide a powerful means to explore fundamental—and still unresolved—aspects of the strong interaction. The production of charmed mesons and baryons offers insight into the mechanisms of hadronization. In heavy-ion collisions, charm quarks are created prior to the formation of the quark–gluon plasma and thus serve as valuable external probes of this hot, strongly interacting medium. Yet, recent evidence supports a fluid-dynamic description of charm-quark diffusion within the QCD plasma. In this talk, I will discuss how recent experimental measurements in heavy-flavor production are driving significant progress in our understanding of QCD, and I will outline the exciting opportunities that lie ahead.

Speaker: Silvia Masciocchi (GSI Darmstadt & University of Heidelberg)

47 QCD at Large Densities

In this talk we discuss the interplay of dynamical mass generation from the strong and electroweak interactions and explore the consequences for phase transitions of the strong interaction at finite temperature and chemical potential. Using a functional approach to QCD we illustrate the search for a critical end point and outline possible strategies to explore the cold and dense region of the QCD phase diagram.

Speaker: Prof. Christian Fischer (Giessen University)

10:45 Coffee Break

48 Nuclear structure and the formation of short-range nucleon-nucleon correlations

Short-range correlations between nucleons appear to be a universal feature of the structure of nuclei. In a short-range correlation, nucleons fluctuate to a state of very close proximity, and experience interactions that are much stronger than the typical mean-field attraction. This results in nucleons occupying states of high momentum, much larger than the nuclear Fermi momentum. Though only a fraction of nucleons participate in a correlation at any moment, correlations may play an outsized role in determining a range of important properties, including the equation of state of dense nuclear matter, the matrix elements of double beta decay, and the modification of the quark structure of bound nucleons. While much has been learned about the behavior and properties of short-range correlations from quasi-elastic electron scattering, the mechanisms that produce correlated pairs are not well understood. Recent experiments at Jefferson Lab have been conducted to study pair formation across the 1f_{7/2} shell gap by measuring quasi-elastic electron scattering from 40Ca, 48Ca, and 54Fe targets in kinematics dominated by scattering from correlated nucleons. I will present preliminary results from the CaFe Experiment, which show very little pairing of neutrons in the 1f_{7/2} shell with protons in the ``40Ca core.'' I will discuss the implications for pairing mechanisms based on angular momentum and quantum number selection rules.

Speaker: Axel Schmidt (George Washington University)

49 Compressed Baryonic Matter at FAIR: construction progress and prototype beam-test results

Compressed Baryonic Matter at FAIR: construction progress and prototype beam-test results Alberica Toia (for the CBM Collaboration) The Compressed Baryonic Matter (CBM) experiment, currently under construction at the Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR), is designed to map the QCD phase diagram at high net-baryon densities and moderate temperatures through heavy-ion and hadron collisions in the energy range of √sₙₙ = 2.9–4.9 GeV. By recreating in the laboratory conditions similar to those found in the cores and mergers of neutron stars, CBM aims to explore the properties of strongly interacting matter and to shed light on the dynamics among its fundamental constituents. Designed to explicitly access rare observables sensitive to the medium, CBM aims to high-statistics measurements of rare probes, and therefore targets event rates of up to 10 MHz. To meet these demands, the CBM experiment uses fast and radiation hard detectors, self-triggered detector front-ends and a free-streaming readout architecture. While detector construction is progressing steadily, several subsystems -together with the readout chain and online event reconstruction- have already been commissioned and successfully operated in beam tests during the FAIR Phase-0 program and within the mini-CBM (mCBM) setup at GSI’s SIS18 accelerator. Several test beamtime campaigns have provided the first results on detector performance and system integration, demonstrating the readiness of key components for the full CBM setup. In this presentation, the CBM physics program will be outlined, the current status of the detector construction, and first experimental results from mCBM will be presented.

Speaker: Alberica Toia (Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany)

Friday Afternoon

50 Have we found η'-mesic states

Pionic and kaonic atoms are well known systems bound by the electromagnetic interaction between charged mesons and nuclei. Systems of a neutral meson bound to a nucleus only by the strong interaction have not been observed so far. The talk describes the long way to the first indication of η’⊗11C mesic states. In a series of photoproduction experiments the interaction between the η’ meson and nuclei has been studied. The real part of the η’ nucleus potential has been extracted from the measurement of excitation functions and momentum distributions of η’ mesons produced off various nuclei. The imaginary part of the η’-nucleus potential has been deduced from the measurement of transparency ratios. These measurements revealed a strong η’-nucleus attraction and a relatively weak imaginary potential, favourable conditions for the existence of meson-nucleus bound states. In a dedicated experiment using the 12C(p,d) reaction at the WASA@FRS setup at GSI the excitation energy spectrum of 11C has been investigated near the η’ production threshold. Thereby the decay of possibly formed η’⊗11C mesic states has been tagged via the η’NN →Np decay channel. In coincidence with protons from this decay channel the 11C excitation energy spectrum shows structures in the bound state region which may be interpreted as the searched for η’⊗11C mesic states. Details of the experiments and the analysis of the results will be presented.

Speakers: Mariana Nanova (Justus-Liebig-University Giessen), Volker Metag (Justus-Liebig-University Giessen)

51 Prior uncertainties in inferring neutron star masses and radii from observations

Traditional Bayesian methods for inferring neutron star properties from observations contain uncertainties from choices of equation of state models and parameters. We compare uncertainties using an alternative strategy using an analytical method for inverting the structure equations.

Speaker: Prof. James Lattimer (Stony Brook University)

52 Latest Results from CUORE and Progress towards CUPID

The observation of neutrinoless double beta decay (0νββ) would demonstrate lepton-number violation, showing physics Beyond the Standard Model, and would establish the Majorana nature of the neutrino. Despite decades of investigation, the search remains open, pursued through diverse isotopes and detection techniques. CUORE (Cryogenic Underground Observatory for Rare Events), operating at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS) in Italy, investigates the 0νββ decay of 130Te. The detector comprises 988 TeO2 crystals arranged in 19 compact towers, forming the first bolometric array to achieve a tonne-scale mass, maintained below 15 mK. Since 2017, CUORE has maintained around 90% live time, collecting more than 2.5 tonne-years of TeO2 exposure—the largest dataset to date in a high-resolution solid-state 0νββ search. The 2025 results include one of the most accurate determinations of the two-neutrino double beta decay (2νββ) half-life and spectral shape, along with an updated 0νββ analysis in 130Te. Building on CUORE's achievements, the next-generation experiment CUPID (CUORE Upgrade with Particle IDentification) aims to reach sensitivities corresponding to half-life limits beyond 10^27 years, probing the Inverted Hierarchy region of neutrino masses. CUPID will deploy 1596 lithium molybdate (Li2MoO4) crystals enriched in 100Mo, together with 1710 light detectors, enabling simultaneous heat-and-light readout. This approach allows powerful rejection of α-induced backgrounds—dominant in CUORE—thus enhancing both sensitivity and cleanliness. CUPID will reuse CUORE's cryogenic setup, improving its technology for lower backgrounds and superior performance. Current efforts focus on detector R&D, simulation studies, and optimization of the final design. Results from the first tower-like prototype, now operating at LNGS, provide a benchmark for a new CUPID module concept incorporating Neganov-Trofimov-Luke amplification for further background suppression. This work presents the latest CUORE results, recent findings from the CUPID demonstrator, and outlines the forthcoming milestones toward the realization of the CUPID experiment.

Speaker: Kangkang Zhao (Gran Sasso Science Institute (GSSI), Italy)

53 Search for „Standard Model forbidden“ components of weak interactions

The Standard Model as a very succesful theory of electroweak interactions postulates the basic assumption about the pure „V(ector)-A(xial vector)“ character of the interaction. Nevertheless, other types of weak interactions (Scalar, Tensor) are still not experimentally ruled out. Low-energy searches for these „forbidden components“ studying e.g. . β-ν angular correlations in β-decay are complementary to high-energy experiments e.g. at the LHC. The experimental program WISArD (Weak-Interaction Studies with 32Ar Decay) situated at the isotope separator ISOLDE/CERN searches for these S/T currents in the weak interaction (or at least tries to significantly improve their current experimental limits) via the precise study of the kinematic shift of β-delayed protons emitted in the decay of 32Ar. Due to the presence of both Fermi and Gamow-Teller β-decays, both the S and T currents can be searched for simultaneously. The experimental apparatus consists of a cryostat with a superconducting 9T magnet and a dedicated system of particle detectors installed in the magnet bore around a thin catcher foil, where radioactive 32Ar ions delivered by ISOLDE are implanted. High precision measurements of the kinematic energy shifts of the protons emitted from the moving 32Cl nuclei recoiling after the β–decay of 32Ar carry information about β-ν angular correlations. The Fermi β-decay to the isobaric analogue state in 32Cl and Gamow/Teller β-decays to other states are sensitive to the possible admixture of S and T components, respectively, in the weak interaction. The experiment aims to reach a sensitivity limit of 0.1% on these exotic contributions to the weak interaction. After the successful proof-of-principle measurement performed in 2018 [1]. several major upgrades were installed [2] followed by another test measurement in 2021. Full data taking was performed in May 2024 and April 2025 aiming to reach a competitive result at the per-mil level of uncertainty for the angular correlation coefficients. The current status of the WISArD setup and newest experimental results will be presented. References: [1] V. Araujo-Escalona et al., Phys.Rev. C101(2020) 055501 [2] D. Atanasov et al., Nucl.Instr.Meth. A1050 (2023) 16159

Speaker: Dalibor Zakoucky (Nuclear Physics Institute of ASCR, Czechia)

54 Predictions for charged-hadron production in p-O collisions at LHC energies

Centrality-dependent charged-hadron production in p-O collisions at top LHC energies is predicted based on a nonequilibrium-statistical relativistic diffusion model. Colour-glass condensate initial conditions are used in a three-sources momentum-space model for gluon-gluon, quark-gluon and gluon-quark sources. Our results [1] are to be compared with pseudorapidity distributions measured in July 2025 at the LHC for sqrt(s_NN)=9.618 TeV p-O collisions [2]. Once these data are available, the transport parameters and the centrality-dependent gluon saturation scale will be adapted to the data through chi^2 minimizations as in our previous work on p-Pb [3], and the updated model can be used for further predictions regarding asymmetric systems that are relevant for astroparticle physics. [1] L. Konrad, P. Schulz and G. Wolschin, Predictions for charged-hadron production in p-O collisions at LHC energies, Phys. Lett. B, accepted for publication (2025). [2] M. Urioni et al., ALICE Collab., Charged particle production at mid and forward rapidities from small to large collision systems with ALICE, Proc. Int. Conf. Initial Stages, Taiwan, 9/2025. [3] P. Schulz and G. Wolschin, Relativistic diffusion model for hadron production in p-Pb collisions at the LHC, Phys. Rev. C110, 044910 (2024)

Speaker: Georg Wolschin (Heidelberg University)

55 Closing remarks