Hadron Physics and Fundamental Interactions

The group Hadron Physics and Fundamental Interactions is focused in different topics related to nuclear and particle physics: Different formalisms are applied to the study of the non-perturbative regime of Quantum chromodynamics (QCD) including ab-initio approaches as Lattice QCD, other quantum field theoretical methods and phenomenological descriptions based on chiral effective models and relativistic hadronic models. This allows for studies of QCD Green functions, hadron spectroscopy and structure, symmetries of the Dirac equation and relevance to nuclei and condensed matter, and to investigate the Phase Diagram for Strongly Interacting Matter and the nature of the respective phase transitions. Novel four-dimensional regularization tools are addressed for precision calculations in and beyond the Standard Model with the aim of gaining efficiency in the subtraction and cancellation of infrared and ultraviolet singularities in higher order computations in quantum field theories. This is essential to meet the accuracy of experimental data foreseen at the Future Circular Collider. Phenomenology of Particle Physics is used to explore particle physics beyond the Standard Model (neutrino masses, axions and the strong CP problem, supersymmetry, composite Higgs, extra-dimensions, grand unified theories, etc.).

Current projects

Previous projects

Recent Publications

Books

1 - Caderno de Exercícios para as Ciências Farmacêuticas: uma colectânea de exercícios e problemas com resoluções para a unidade curricular de Física Aplicada do Mestrado Integrado em Ciências Farmacêuticas
C. Cosme, M. R. Silva
(2025)

Papers

International Journals

2 - Chiral Symmetry in Implicit Regularization: A Review
A. Cherchiglia, RJC Rosado, M. Sampaio, B. Hiller
Symmetry (Basel) 18(1), 160 (2026)

3 - Graph-Based Strategies for Optimizing Wildfire Supression
J. Aveiro, D. Neves, Paulo J. Silva, A. Gameiro Lopes, C. Viegas, O. Oliveira, F. Nogueira, Jaime Oliveira da Silva
J. Phys.: Complex. 7(1), 015002 (2026)

4 - Covariant Energy Density Functionals for Neutron Star Matter Equation of State Modeling: Cross-Comparison Analysis Using \texttt{CompactObject}
João Cartaxo, Chun Huang, Tuhin Malik, Shashwat Sourav, Wen-Li Yuan, Tianzhe Zhou, Xuezhi Liu, Constança Providência
Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series (ApJS) 282(2), 33 (2026)

5 - Strongly interacting matter in extreme magnetic fields
Prabal Adhikari, Martin Ammon, Sidney S. Avancini, Alejandro Ayala, ..., HelenaProvidência Pais, Luigi Scurto, ...
Prog.Part.Nucl.Phys. 146, 104199 (2026)

6 - Square Kilometre Array Science Data Challenge 3a: foreground removal for an EoR experiment
A Bonadi, ..., P. Alberto, et al.
Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 543(2), 1092-1119 (2025)

7 - The sharpness of the quark-hadron transition and the properties of hybrid stars
MB Albino, R. Fariello, G: Lugones, F.S. Navarra
Int. J. Mod. Phys. A 34(15) (2025)

8 - Evaporating Kerr black holes as probes of new physics
M. Calza, J. Rosa
J. High Energy Phys. 11, 44 (2025)

9 - Neural posterior estimation of neutron star equations of state
Valéria Carvalho, Márcio Ferreira, Constança Providência
Phys. Rev. D 112, 083044 (2025)

10 - Rapidly spinning dark matter-admixed neutron stars
L. Cipriani, E. Giangrandi, V. Sagun, D.D. Doneva, S.S. Yazadjiev
Phys. Rev. D 111(12), 123005 (2025)

11 - Calibrating the medium effects of light clusters in heavy-ion collisions
T. Custódio, A. Rebillard-Soulié, R. Bougault, D. Gruyer, F. Gulminelli, T. Malik, H. Pais, C. Providência
Phys. Rev. Lett. 134 (8), 082304 (2025)

12 - Stupendously large primordial black holes from the QCD axion
M. Faria, RZ Ferreira, F. Rompineve,
J. Cosmol. Astropart. Phys. 10, 055 (2025)

13 - The inflation trilogy and primordial black holes
P. Ferraz, J. Rosa,
J. Cosmol. Astropart. Phys. 3, 40 (2025)

14 - Conditional variational autoencoder inference of neutron star equation of state from astrophysical observations
M. Ferreira, M. Bejger
Phys. Rev. D 111 (2), 023035 (2025)

15 - Learning about neutron star composition from the slope of the mass-radius diagram
M. Ferreira, C. Providência
Phys. Rev. D 112(8), 083058 (2025)

16 - Fastest spinning millisecond pulsars: Indicators for quark matter in neutron stars?
C. Gärtlein, V. Sagun, O. Ivanytskyi, D. Blaschke, I. Lopes
Phys. Rev. D 111(12), 123021 (2025)

17 - Constraints on maximum neutron star mass from protoneutron star evolution
D. Kumar, T. Malik, H. Mishra, C. Providência
Phys. Rev. D 112(6), 063042 (2025)

18 - The footprint of nuclear saturation properties on the neutron star f mode oscillation frequencies: a machine learning approach
D. Kumar, T. Malik, Mishra. H.
J. Cosmol. Astropart. Phys. 3, 033 (2025)

19 - Dense matter in neutron stars with eXTP
A Li, AL Watts, GB Zhang, ..., C Providência, et al.
Sci. China-Phys. Mech. Astron. 68(11), 119503 (2025)

20 - Exploring the interaction of high-performance triazine-based porous organic polymers with antibiotics and carbon dioxide
P.M.C Matias, S.C.C. Nunes, J.M. Gil, M.J. Ferreira, A.A.C.C. Pais, D. Murtinho, A.J.M. Valente
Chem. Eng. J. 526, 171078 (2025)

21 - Impact of Magnetic-field-driven Anisotropies on the Equation of State Probed in Neutron Star Mergers
E.R. Most, J. Peterson, L. Scurto, H. Pais, V. Dexheimer
Astrophys. J. Lett. 989(2), L29 (2025)

22 - Superradiant Darwinism: survival of the lightest axion
D. Neves, J.G. Rosa
J. Cosmol. Astropart. Phys. 4, 019 (2025)

23 - Light clusters as a possible source of crustal impurities: A quasi-particle approach
H. Pais, H.D. Thi, A.F. Fantina, F. Gulminelli, C. Providencia
Astron. Astrophys. 699, A129 (2025)

24 - Inferring the equation of state from neutron star observables via machine learning
N.K. Patra, T. Malik, H. Pais, K. Zhou, B.K. Agrawal, C. Providencia
Phys. Lett. B 865, 139470 (2025)

25 - Collective modes in relativistic cold asymmetric nuclear matter within the covariant Vlasov approach
A. Rabhi, O. Boukari, S. S. Avancini, C. Providência
Phys. Rev. C 111 (1), 015804 (2025)

26 - Comparing strange and nonstrange quark stars within resummed QCD at NLO
TE Restrepo, JL Kneur, C Providência, MB Pinto
Phys. Rev. D 112(5), 054013 (2025)

27 - Addressing γ5 in Nondimensional Regularizations: A Case Study on the Bumblebee Model
RJC Rosado, A. Cherchiglia, M. Sampaio, B. Hiller
Eur. Phys. J. C 85(1), 41 (2025)

28 - Role of the δ meson in the equation of state and direct Urca cooling of neutron stars
L. Scurto, H. Pais, M. Antonelli, F. Gulminelli
Astron. Astrophys. 703, A200 (2025)

29 - Feasibility study of a dark matter admixed neutron star based on recent observational constraints
P. Thakur, T. Malik, A. Das, T.K. Jha, B.K. Sharma, C. Providência
Astron. Astrophys. 697, A220 (2025)

30 - Symmetry generators and quantum numbers for fermionic circularly symmetric systems
V.B. Mendrot, A.S. de Castro, P. Alberto
Ann. Phys. 482, 170178 (2025)

31 - Impact of the scalar isovector δ meson on the description of nuclear matter and neutron star properties
L.G.T. dos Santos, T. Malik, C. Providência
Phys. Rev. C 111 (3), 035805 (2025)

32 - The center-symmetric Landau gauge meets the lattice
D. van Egmond, O. Oliveira, U. Reinosa, J. Serreau, Paulo J. Silva, M. Tissier
Phys. Rev. D 112(1), 014512 (2025)

Portuguese Journals

33 - A grande revolta dos gatos de Schrödinger após 100 anos de quântica
Constança Providência, Helena Alberto
Gazeta de Física 48, nº 1, 2-2 (2025)

34 - Estrelas de neutrões como laboratórios de física
Constança Providência, Milena Albino, João Cartaxo, Valéria Carvalho, Tiago Custódio, Luigi Scurto, Márcio Ferreira, Tuhin Malik, Helena Pais
Gazeta de Física 48, nº 2, 38-41 (2025)

35 - Será um osso de mamute?
Constança Providência, Rita Wolters
Gazeta de Física 48, nº 1, 37-38 (2025)

Proceedings

International Conferences

36 - Observational constraints on neutron star matter equation of state
Tuhin Malik, João Cartaxo, Constança Providência
J.Subatomic Part.Cosmol. 4, 100086 (2025)

Communications

Invited

37 - Primordial black holes, the string axiverse and physics beyond the Standard Model
Rosa, J.G.
High Energy, Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics Abu Dhabi Workshop, New York University Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 15 January (2026)

38 - Temperature Evolution in the Early Universe and Freeze-in at stronger coupling
Cosme, C.
Gr@V seminars. 5 Feb. University of Aveiro, Portugal. (2025)

39 - Spanning neutron star properties with microscopic descriptions: can we learn about composition?
Providência, Constança
2nd Workshop on modern equations of state and spectroscopy in neutron-star matter, Universidad de Alcalá May 26-28 (2025)

40 - Spanning neutron star properties within a microscopic description: learning about composition
Providência, Constança
Making Neutron Stars a Laboratory of New Physics: one-week TH-Institute, CERN June 9-13 (2025)

41 - Learning about the neutron star composition from observations
Providência, Constança
Café com Física Oct 22 (2025)

Oral

42 - Temperature evolution in the Early Universe and Freeze-in at stronger coupling
Cosme, C.
FLASY 2025 Conference,.Dipartimento di Architettura Roma Tre. 30 June - 4 July 4. Roma, Italy. (2025)

43 - Hot molecules, cold valve: enhancing molecule vaporization for astrochemistry searches
R.J.C. Roque, F. Ferreira, R.B.L. Vieira, N.M. Campos and S.R. Domingos
29th Colloquium on High-Resolution Molecular Spectroscopy (HRMS 2025) (2025)

44 - Dark micro-boson stars from PBH superradiance
Rosa, J.G.
New Horizons in Primordial Black Holes – NEHOP´2025, Brussels, Belgium, 21 May (2025)

Poster

45 - The full QCD gluon and ghost propagators and the transition to the deconfinement regime
E. Salgado, O. Oliveira, P.J. Silva
The complex structure of strong interactions in Euclidean and Minkowski space Workshop, 26-30 Maio, Trento, Itália (2025)

46 - Center-symmetric Landau gauge on the lattice: symmetry constraints and the gluon propagator
D. van Egmond, O. Oliveira, U. Reinosa, J. Serreau, Paulo J. Silva, M. Tissier
The complex structure of strong interactions in Euclidean and Minkowski space Workshop, 26-30 Maio, Trento, Itália (2025)

Software

47 - CompactObject: Bayesian EOS inference for neutron stars
Chun Huang, Tuhin Malik, João Cartaxo, Shashwat Sourav, Wenli Yuan, Tianzhe Zhou, Xuezhi Liu, John Groger, Nicole Osborn Xieyuan Dong, Nathan Whitsett, Zhiheng Wang, Constança Providência, Micaela Oertel, Alexander Y Chen, Laura Tolos, Anna Watts
Astrophysics Source Code Library ascl: 2511.030 (2025)

Thesis

PhD thesis

48 - Neutron Stars: General Modelling within a Relativistic Mean-Field Framework
Luigi Scurto
PhD in Physics, 16 Set (2025)

Other

49 - QuantumLand
Helena Alberto, Sagar Pratapsi, Constança Providência
Rómulo: Exposições (2025)

50 - A Bayesian Inference of Hybrid Stars with Large Quark Cores
Milena Albino, Tuhin Malik, Márcio Ferreira, Constança Providência
arxiv 2511.02653 [nucl-th] (2025)

51 - Astrophysics and Cosmology seminars
Cosme, C.
Organizer of the weekly Astrophysics and Cosmology seminars at the Coimbra University, Theoretical Physics Group, since 2023. (2025)

52 - Selected for the “Visitors´ Program” at CERN
Cosme, C.
CERN, Geneva, Switzerland. (2025)

53 - Preheated inflation
Diogo S. Gorgulho, João G. Rosa
e-print (2025)

54 - Numerical Relativity Simulations of Dark Matter Admixed Binary Neutron Stars
Edoardo Giangrandi, Hannes R. Rüter, Nina Kunert, Mattia Emma, Adrian Abac, ..., Tim Dietrich, Violetta Sagun, Wolfgang Tichy, Constança Providência
arxiv 2504.20825 [astro-ph.HE] (2025)

55 - Dark neutron stars from a heavy dark sector
J.A. Litterer, J.G. Rosa
e-print (2025)

56 - From scalar clouds around evaporating black holes to boson stars
D. Neves, J.G. Rosa
e-print (2025)

57 - Constraints on Dark Matter Structures around Gaia Black Holes
Nuno P. Branco, Ricardo Z. Ferreira, João G. Rosa, Rodrigo Vicente
e-print (2025)

58 - Using the Landau gauge gluon propagator to set the lattice physical scales and understanding the finite size effects
Orlando Oliveira, Paulo J. Silva
Submitted (2025)

59 - Investigating the Impact of Higher-Order Phase Transitions in Binary Neutron-Star Mergers
P. Hammond, A. Clevinger, Milena Albino, Constança Providência, et al
arxiv 2508.10698 [astro-ph.HE] (2025)

60 - Collaborative Research Centre/Transregio 211 "Strong-Interaction Matter under Extreme Conditions"
Providência, Constança
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) June 16-17 (2025)

61 - Novos Talentos
Providência, Constança
Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian (2025)

62 - Curiosidade: Motor da Ciência
Providência, Constança
Rómulo: Exposição (2025)