Surface roughness plays a critical role in ultrashort pulse laser ablation, particularly for industrial applications using burst mode operations, multi-pulse laser processing, and the generation of laser-induced periodic surface structures. Hence, we address the impact of surface roughness on the resulting laser ablation topography predicted by a simulation model and compared to experimental results. We present a comprehensive multi-scale simulation framework that first employs finite-difference-time-domain simulations for calculating the surface fluence distribution on a rough surface measured by an atomic-force-microscope followed by the two-temperature model coupled with hydrodynamic/solid mechanics simulation for the initial material heating. Lastly, a computational fluid dynamics model for material relaxation and fluid flow is developed and employed. Final state results of aluminum and AISI 304 stainless steel simulations demonstrated alignment with established ablation models and crater dimension prediction. Notably, Al exhibited significant optical scattering effects due to initial surface roughness of 15 nm - being 70 times below the laser wavelength, leading to localized, selective ablation processes and substantially altered crater topography compared to idealized conditions. Contrary, AISI 304 with RMS roughness of 2 nm showed no difference. Hence, we highlight the necessity of incorporating realistic, material-specific surface roughness values into large-scale ablation simulations. Furthermore, the induced local fluence variations demonstrated the inadequacy of neglecting lateral heat transport effects in this context.

Inclusive and differential cross sections for Higgs boson production in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13.6 TeV are measured using data collected with the CMS detector at the LHC in 2022, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 34.7 fb$^{-1}$. Events with the diphoton final state are selected, and the measured inclusive fiducial cross section is $\sigma_\text{fid}$ = 74 $\pm$ 11 (stat) $^{+5}_{-4}$ (syst) fb, in agreement with the standard model prediction of 67.8 $\pm$ 3.8 fb. Differential cross sections are measured as functions of several observables: the Higgs boson transverse momentum and rapidity, the number of associated jets, and the transverse momentum of the leading jet in the event. Within the uncertainties, the differential cross sections agree with the standard model predictions.

We investigate the expected precision of the reconstructed neutrino direction using a {\nu}{\mu}-argon quasielastic-like event topology with one muon and one proton in the final state and the reconstruction capabilities of the MicroBooNE liquid argon time projection chamber. This direction is of importance in the context of DUNE sub-GeV atmospheric oscillation studies. MicroBooNE allows for a data-driven quantification of this resolution by investigating the deviation of the reconstructed muon-proton system orientation with respect to the well-known direction of neutrinos originating from the Booster Neutrino Beam with an exposure of 1.3 x 1021 protons on target. Using simulation studies, we derive the expected sub-GeV DUNE atmospheric-neutrino reconstructed simulated spectrum by developing a reweighting scheme as a function of the true neutrino energy. We further report flux-integrated single- and double-differential cross section measurements of charged-current {\nu}{\mu} quasielastic-like scattering on argon as a function of the muon-proton system angle using the full MicroBooNE data sets. We also demonstrate the sensitivity of these results to nuclear effects and final state hadronic reinteraction modeling.

Processes that violate baryon number, most notably proton decay and $n\bar n$ transitions, are promising probes of physics beyond the Standard Model (BSM) needed to understand the lack of antimatter in the Universe. To interpret current and forthcoming experimental limits, theory input from nuclear matrix elements to UV complete models enters. Thus, an interplay of experiment, effective field theory, lattice QCD, and BSM model building is required to develop strategies to accurately extract information from current and future data and maximize the impact and sensitivity of next-generation experiments. Here, we briefly summarize the main results and discussions from the workshop "INT-25-91W: Baryon Number Violation: From Nuclear Matrix Elements to BSM Physics," held at the Institute for Nuclear Theory, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, January 13-17, 2025.

Detection of sub-GeV dark matter (DM) particles in direct detection experiments is inherently difficult, as their low kinetic energies in the galactic halo are insufficient to produce observable recoils of the heavy nuclei in the detectors. On the other hand, whenever DM particles interact with nucleons, they can be accelerated by scattering with galactic cosmic rays. These cosmic-ray-boosted DM particles can then interact not only through coherent elastic scattering with nuclei, but also through scattering with individual nucleons in the detectors and produce outgoing particles at MeV to GeV kinetic energies. The resulting signal spectrum overlaps with the detection capabilities of modern neutrino experiments. One future experiment is the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) at the Sanford Underground Research Facility. Our study shows that DUNE has a unique ability to search for cosmic-ray boosted DM with sensitivity comparable to dedicated direct detection experiments in the case of spin-independent interactions. Importantly, DUNE's sensitivity reaches similar values of DM-nucleon cross sections also in the case of spin-dependent interactions, offering a key advantage over traditional direct detection experiments.

Context. Star-forming galaxies emit {\gamma}rays with relatively low luminosity, but the study of their emission is no less captivating. While it is known that their {\gamma}-ray luminosity in the GeV band is strongly linked to their star formation, the origin of their emission at higher energies remains uncertain due to limited observations. Aims. Our aim is to assemble the largest possible sample of star-forming galaxies with potential detectability by the new-generation of Cherenkov telescopes. Methods. To achieve this, we compile a comprehensive sample of galaxies, including those previously detected by Fermi-LAT in the GeV energy range as well as a larger sample of star-forming galaxies in the Local Volume that have been cataloged in the near-infrared band. We estimate their {\gamma}-ray flux assuming a proportional relationship with their star formation rate, and then select the brightest candidates. The predicted spectra in the TeV band are derived using a simple empirical model normalized to the star formation rate and a model based on extrapolating the latest Fermi-LAT data to higher energies. The ground-based detectability of {\gamma}-ray emission from these sources is assessed through a comparison to the most recent instrument response functions. Results. Our investigation reveals that almost a dozen star-forming galaxies may be detectable by upcoming {\gamma}-ray telescopes. Conclusions. The observation of numerous star-forming galaxies in the TeV band is a fundamental piece of the panchromatic puzzle for understanding the physics inside these galaxies. The significant increase in the number of galaxies that can be studied in detail in the near future, particularly with the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory, promises a major step forward in the study of the conditions of acceleration and transport of cosmic rays in nearby extragalactic environments.

We investigate the semileptonic decays of baryons containing double charm or double bottom quarks, focusing on their transitions to single heavy baryons through three-point QCD sum rule framework. In our calculations, we take into account nonperturbative operators with mass dimensions up to five. We calculate the form factors associated with these decays, emphasizing the vector and axial-vector transition currents in the corresponding amplitude. By applying fitting functions for the form factors based on the squared momentum transfer, we derive predictions for decay widths and branching ratios in their possible lepton channels. These findings offer valuable insights for experimentalists exploring semileptonic decays of doubly charm or bottom baryons. Perhaps they can be validated in upcoming experiments like LHCb. These investigations contribute to a deeper understanding of the decay mechanisms in these baryonic channels.

The SABRE Experiment is a direct detection dark matter experiment using a target composed of multiple NaI(Tl) crystals. The experiment aims to be an independent check of the DAMA/LIBRA results with a detector in the Northern (Laboratori Nazionali Del Gran Sasso, LNGS) and Southern (Stawell Underground Physics Laboratory, SUPL) hemispheres. The SABRE South photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) will be used near the low energy noise threshold and require a detailed calibration of their performance and contributions to the background in the NaI(Tl) dark matter search, prior to installation. We present the development of the pre-calibration procedures for the R11065-20 Hamamatsu PMTs. These PMTs are directly coupled to the NaI(Tl) crystals within the SABRE South experiment. In this paper we present methodologies to characterise the gain, dark rate, and timing properties of the PMTs. We develop a method for in-situ calibration without a light injection source. Additionally we explore the application of machine learning techniques using a Boosted Decision Tree (BDT) trained on the response of single PMTs to understand the information available for background rejection. Finally, we briefly present the simulation tool used to generate digitised PMT data from optical Monte Carlo simulations.

Machine learning methods are being introduced at all stages of data reconstruction and analysis in various high-energy physics experiments. We present the development and application of convolutional neural networks with modified autoencoder architecture for the reconstruction of the pulse arrival time and amplitude in individual scintillating crystals in electromagnetic calorimeters and other detectors. The network performance is discussed as well as the application of xAI methods for further investigation of the algorithm and improvement of the output accuracy.

Access to high-energy particle beams is key for testing high-energy physics (HEP) instruments. Accelerators for cancer treatment can serve as such a testing ground. However, HEP instrument tests typically require particle fluxes significantly lower than for cancer treatment. Thus, facilities need adaptations to fulfill both the requirements for cancer treatment and the requirements for HEP instrument testing. We report on the progress made in developing a beam monitor with a sufficient dynamic range to allow for the detection of single particles, while still being able to act as a monitor at the clinical particle rates of the MedAustron treatment facility. The beam monitor is designed for integration into existing accelerators.

Amplitude analysis serves as a pivotal tool in hadron spectroscopy, fundamentally involving a series of likelihood fits to multi-dimensional experimental distributions. While numerous robust goodness-of-fit tests are available for low-dimensional scenarios, evaluating goodness-of-fit in amplitude analysis poses significant challenges. In this work, we introduce a powerful goodness-of-fit test leveraging a machine-learning-based anomaly detection method.

This study investigates the mass spectra and decay behaviors of the experimentally unobserved $1F$-wave singly bottom baryons. Calculating their mass spectra could provide crucial guidance for determining their spectroscopic positions. Additionally, by analyzing their decay properties, we could predict the important decay channels, which are essential for experimental searches and quantum number assignments. Our calculations aim to support ongoing experimental and theoretical efforts in singly bottom baryon spectroscopy.

In 2024, the Belle II experiment resumed data taking after the Long Shutdown 1, which was required to install a two-layer pixel detector and upgrade accelerator components. We describe the challenges of this shutdown and the operational experience thereafter. With new data, the silicon-strip vertex detector (SVD) confirmed the high hit efficiency, the large signal-to-noise ratio, and the excellent cluster position resolution. In the coming years, the SuperKEKB peak luminosity is expected to increase to its target value, resulting in a larger SVD occupancy caused by beam background. Considerable efforts have been made to improve SVD reconstruction software by exploiting the excellent SVD hit-time resolution to determine the collision time and reject off-time particle hits. A novel procedure to group SVD hits event-by-event, based on their time, has been developed using the grouping information during reconstruction, significantly reducing the fake rate while preserving the tracking efficiency. The front-end chip (APV25) is operated in the multi-peak mode, which reads six samples. A 3/6-mixed acquisition mode, based on the timing precision of the trigger, reduces background occupancy, trigger dead-time, and data size. Studies of the radiation damage show that the SVD performance will not seriously degrade during the lifetime of the detector, despite moderate radiation-induced increases in sensor current and strip noise.

The associated vector meson + jet production in photon - induced interactions at the LHC is investigated and predictions for the cross - sections are derived considering the NLO corrections to the BFKL kernel. We explore the possibility that in a near future the FOCAL detector could be used to measure the jet at forward rapidities, with the associated meson being measured by a central or forward detector, and estimate the rapidity distributions for the $\rho$ + jet and $J/\Psi$ + jet photoproduction in $pp$, $Pbp$ and $PbPb$ collisions. We demonstrate that the associated cross-sections are non - negligible and that a future experimental analysis can be useful to constrain the description of the BFKL kernel and improve our understanding of the QCD dynamics.