Supercooled Goldstone Bosons at the QCD Chiral Phase Transition

We discuss a universal nonequilibrium enhancement of long-wavelength Goldstone bosons induced by quenches to the broken phase in Model G-the dynamical universality class of an O(4) antiferromagnet and the chiral phase transition in QCD. Scaling arguments for the coarsening dynamics describing the formation of the chiral condensate predict a parametric enhancement in the infrared spectra of Goldstone bosons, a prediction confirmed by stochastic simulations of the transition. The details of the enhancement are determined by the nonlinear dynamics of a superfluid effective theory, which is a limit of Model G reflecting the broken O(4) symmetry. Our results translate to a parametric enhancement of low-momentum pions in heavy-ion collisions at the LHC, which are underpredicted in current hydrodynamic models without critical dynamics.

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Publication Details

Journal
Physical Review Letters
Published
2025-11-12
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1103/wyn4-ncdc
Citations
2
Primary Topic
High-Energy Particle Collisions Research
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
3.74

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article

Supercooled Goldstone Bosons at the QCD Chiral Phase Transition

Karl J. Friston
2 citations
Physical Review Letters
High-Energy Particle Collisions Research
3.74
article

Supercooled Goldstone Bosons at the QCD Chiral Phase Transition

Karl J. Friston
article en
2 citations

Abstract

We discuss a universal nonequilibrium enhancement of long-wavelength Goldstone bosons induced by quenches to the broken phase in Model G-the dynamical universality class of an O(4) antiferromagnet and the chiral phase transition in QCD. Scaling arguments for the coarsening dynamics describing the formation of the chiral condensate predict a parametric enhancement in the infrared spectra of Goldstone bosons, a prediction confirmed by stochastic simulations of the transition. The details of the enhancement are determined by the nonlinear dynamics of a superfluid effective theory, which is a limit of Model G reflecting the broken O(4) symmetry. Our results translate to a parametric enhancement of low-momentum pions in heavy-ion collisions at the LHC, which are underpredicted in current hydrodynamic models without critical dynamics.

Physical Review LettersVol. 135(24)
University of Ljubljana (SI), Brookhaven National Laboratory (US), Bielefeld University (DE), Heidelberg University (DE), University of Florence (IT), Stony Brook University (US)
U.S. Department of Energy, National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Javna Agencija za Raziskovalno Dejavnost RS, Office of Science, HORIZON EUROPE Framework Programme, Nuclear Physics
Openalex Percentile: Top 6%
High-Energy Particle Collisions Research
3.74
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Supercooled Goldstone Bosons at the QCD Chiral Phase Transition — Karl J. Friston · Physical Review Letters (2025) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS