Different faces of confinement

In this review, we provide a short outlook of some of the currently most popular pictures and promising approaches to non-perturbative physics and confinement in gauge theories. A qualitative and by no means exhaustive discussion presented here covers such key topics as the phases of QCD matter, the order parameters for confinement, the central vortex and monopole pictures of the QCD vacuum structure, fundamental properties of the string tension, confinement realisations in gauge-Higgs and Yang-Mills theories, magnetic order/disorder phase transition among others.

Central exclusive production of $eta_c$ and $chi_{c0}$ in the light-front k$_{perp}$-factorization approach

We study the exclusive production of $J^{PC}=0^{++}, 0^{--}$ charmonium states in proton-proton collisions at the LHC energies The $pp to ppeta_c$ reaction is discussed for the first time. We observe a substantial contribution from the nonperturbative domain of gluon virtualities, especially for $eta_c$ production. To model the nonperturbative region better, we utilize models of the unintegrated gluon distribution based on parametrizations of the color dipole cross-section.

Prompt hadroproduction of C-even quarkonia in the light-front $k_T$ -factorization approach

We present a new approach for the prompt production of quarkonia which is based on the $k_T$-factorization method. The production of even C-parity quarkonia proceeds via the fusion of two (off-shell) gluons. Especially in the kinematics of the LHCb experiment these processes are thus expected to be a sensitive probe of the small-$x$ gluon distribution. We calculate the relevant off-shell matrix elements in terms of the light-front wave functions of the quarkonium states. We present our results for scalar and pseudoscalar charmonia and discuss photon transition form factors as well as cross sections for prompt hadroproduction. We compare our results for the $eta_c$ to recent LHCb data.

DPS mechanism for associated $cbar{c} l^+l^-$ production in $AA$ UPCs as a probe for photon density inside the nucleus

We discuss the associated $cbar{c}$ and $l^+l^-$ pairs production in ultraperipheral heavy-ion collisions at high energies. Such a channel provides a novel probe for double-parton scattering (DPS) at small $x$ enabling one to probe the photon density inside the nucleus. We have derived an analog of the standard central $pp$ pocket formula and studied the kinematical dependence of the effective cross section. Taking into account both elastic and non-elastic contributions, we have shown predictions for the DPS $cbar c l^+l^-$ production cross section differential in charm quark rapidity and dilepton invariant mass and rapidity for LHC and a future collider.

QCD surprises: strong CP problem, neutrino mass, Dark Matter and Dark Energy

An unexpected explanation for neutrino mass, Dark Matter (DM) and Dark Energy (DE) from genuine Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) of the Standard Model (SM) is proposed here, while the strong CP problem is resolved without any need to account for fundamental axions. We suggest that the neutrino sector can be in a double phase in the Universe: i) relativistic neutrinos, belonging to the SM; ii) non-relativistic condensate of Majorana neutrinos. The condensate of neutrinos can provide an attractive alternative candidate for the DM, being in a cold coherent state. We will explain how neutrinos, combining into Cooper pairs, can form collective low-energy degrees of freedom, hence providing a strongly motivated candidate for the QCD (composite) axion.

Momentum transfer squared dependence of exclusive quarkonia photoproduction in UPCs

In this paper, we study fully differential quarkonia photoproduction observables in ultraperipheral collisions (UPCs) as functions of momentum transfer squared. We employ the dipole picture of the QCD part of the scattering with proton and nucleus targets, with the projectile being a quasi-real photon flux emitted by an incoming hadron. We analyse such observables for ground $J/psi$, $Upsilon(1S)$ and excited $psi$, $Upsilon(2S)$ states whose light-front wave functions are obtained in the framework of interquark potential model incorporating the Melosh spin transformation. Two different low-$x$ saturation models, one obtained by solving the Balitsky--Kovchegov equation with the collinearly improved kernel and the other with a Gaussian impact-parameter dependent profile, are used to estimate the underlined theoretical uncertainties of our calculations. The results for the proton target and with charmonium in the final state are in agreement with the available HERA data, while in the case of nucleus target we make predictions for $gamma A$ and $AA$ differential cross sections at different $W$ and at $sqrt{s}=5.02$ TeV, respectively.

Central exclusive production of scalar and pseudoscalar charmonia in the light-front $k_T$-factorization approach

We study exclusive production of scalar $chi_{c0}equiv chi_c(0^{++})$ and pseudoscalar $eta_c$ charmonia states in proton-proton collisions at the LHC energies. The amplitudes for $gg to chi_{c0}$ as well as for $gg to eta_c$ mechanisms are derived in the $k_{T}$-factorization approach. The $p p to p p eta_c$ reaction is discussed for the first time. We have calculated rapidity, transverse momentum distributions as well as such correlation observables as the distribution in relative azimuthal angle and $(t_1,t_2)$ distributions. The latter two observables are very different for $chi_{c0}$ and $eta_c$ cases. In contrast to the inclusive production of these mesons considered very recently in the literature, in the exclusive case the cross section for $eta_c$ is much lower than that for $chi_{c0}$ which is due to a special interplay of the corresponding vertices and off-diagonal UGDFs used to calculate the cross sections. We present the numerical results for the key observables in the framework of potential models for the light-front quarkonia wave functions. We also discuss how different are the absorptive corrections for both considered cases.

Thermal Field Theory in real-time formalism: concepts and applications for particle decays

This review represents a detailed and comprehensive discussion of the Thermal Field Theory (TFT) concepts and key results in Yukawa-type theories. We start with a general pedagogical introduction into the TFT in the imaginary- and real-time formulation. As phenomenologically relevant implications, we present a compendium of thermal decay rates for several typical reactions calculated within the framework of the real-time formalism and compared to the imaginary-time results found in the literature. Processes considered here are those of a neutral (pseudo)scalar decaying into two distinct (pseudo)scalars or into a fermion-antifermion pair. These processes are extended from earlier works to include chemical potentials and distinct species in the final state. In addition, a (pseudo)scalar emission off a fermion line is also discussed. These results demonstrate the importance of thermal effects in particle decay observables relevant in many phenomenological applications in systems at high temperatures and densities.

Isolated photon production and pion-photon correlations in high-energy $pp$ and $pA$ collisions

A phenomenological study of the isolated photon production in high energy $pp$ and $pA$ collisions at RHIC and LHC energies is performed. Using the color dipole approach we investigate the production cross section differential in the transverse momentum of the photon considering three different phenomenological models for the universal dipole cross section. We also present the predictions for the rapidity dependence of the ratio of $pA$ to $pp$ cross sections. As a further test of the formalism, for different energies and photon rapidites we analyse the correlation function in azimuthal angle $Deltaphi$ between the photon and a forward pion. The characteristic double-peak structure of the correlation function around $Delta phisimeq pi$ observed previously for Drell-Yan pair production is found for isolated photon emitted into the forward rapidity region which can be tested by future experiments.

Prospects for New Physics from gauge Left-Right-Colour-Family Grand Unification

Given the tremendous phenomenological success of the Standard Model (SM) framework, it becomes increasingly important to understand to what extent its specific structure dynamically emerges from unification principles. In this study, we present a novel supersymmetric (SUSY) Grand Unification model based upon gauge trinification $[mathrm{SU}(3)]^3$ symmetry and a local $mathrm{SU}(2)_{mathrm{F}} times mathrm{U}(1)_{mathrm{F}}$ family symmetry. This framework is inspired by $mathrm{E}_8 to mathrm{E}_6times mathrm{SU}(2)_{mathrm{F}} times mathrm{U}(1)_{mathrm{F}}$ orbifold reduction pattern, with subsequent $mathrm{E}_6to [mathrm{SU}(3)]^3$ symmetry breaking step. In this framework, higher-dimensional operators of $mathrm{E}_6$ induce the threshold corrections in the gauge and Yukawa interactions leading, in particular, to only two distinct Yukawa couplings in the fundamental sector of the resulting $[mathrm{SU}(3)]^3times mathrm{SU}(2)_{mathrm{F}} times mathrm{U}(1)_{mathrm{F}}$ Lagrangian. Among the appealing features emergent in this framework are the Higgs-matter unification and a unique minimal three Higgs doublet scalar sector at the electroweak scale as well as tree-level hierarchies in the light fermion spectra consistent with those observed in nature. In addition, our framework reveals a variety of prospects for New Physics searches at the LHC and future colliders such as vector-like fermions, as well as rich scalar, gauge and neutrino sectors.