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Universe
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Search for New Physics Through Combined Approaches
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Search for New Physics Through Combined Approaches

A special issue of Universe (ISSN 2218-1997). This special issue belongs to the section "High Energy Nuclear and Particle Physics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 5669

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Yang Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Astrophysics, School of Physics, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
Interests: new physics beyond the standard model; collider phenomenology; Higgs physics; electroweak phase transition; dark matter; baryon generation; gravitational waves
Prof. Dr. Fei Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Physics, Zhengzhou University, No. 100 Science Avenue, Zhengzhou 450001, China
Interests: high-energy physics theory; beyond the standard model; baryon synthesis mechanism; dark matter
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Searching for new physics beyond the Standard Model is a primary objective in numerous particle experiments, such as the Large Hadron Collider, dark matter experiments, electroweak precision measurements, and projected facilities like future colliders and gravitational wave detectors. Despite the absence of definitive direct evidence, current experimental outcomes have imposed stringent constraints on new physics models, potentially illuminating the path for their discovery. Consequently, it is imperative and crucial to explore new physics through multifaceted approaches.

The primary aim of this Special Issue is to consolidate the latest advancements and insights, spanning both phenomenological and theoretical domains. Key areas of interest encompass the exploration of novel physical properties tied to Higgs Boson and dark matter, experimental anomalies, innovative search methodologies at colliders, electroweak phase transitions, gravitational waves emanating from new physics, as well as cross-over studies bridging the aforementioned perspectives.

We invite global researchers to submit works highlighting recent progress and innovative approaches in particle physics, fostering knowledge exchange and collaboration. This Special Issue showcases cutting-edge research, encourages interdisciplinary dialogue, and supports the growth of novel methodologies and theoretical insights, ultimately advancing our understanding of the universe’s fundamental forces and particles.

Sincerely,

Dr. Yang Zhang
Prof. Dr. Fei Wang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Universe is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • beyond standard model physics
  • grand unified theory
  • collider physics
  • Higgs physics
  • electroweak precision measurements
  • dark matter
  • electroweak phase transition
  • gravitational wave 

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 874 KB  
Article
Comparison of JUNO and DUNE Sensitivities to Cosmic-Ray- Produced Dark Mesons
by Zirong Chen, Jinmian Li, Junle Pei and Feng Yang
Universe 2026, 12(5), 137; https://doi.org/10.3390/universe12050137 - 7 May 2026
Viewed by 168
Abstract
We study the projected sensitivities of the Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO) and the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) to cosmic-ray-produced dark mesons in a confining dark sector with a leptophobic vector portal. Using the same atmospheric dark meson flux framework as in [...] Read more.
We study the projected sensitivities of the Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO) and the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) to cosmic-ray-produced dark mesons in a confining dark sector with a leptophobic vector portal. Using the same atmospheric dark meson flux framework as in our previous JUNO study, which includes proton bremsstrahlung, Standard Model meson decays, and Drell–Yan production followed by dark hadronization described by a modified Quark Combination Model, we perform a controlled comparison between JUNO and DUNE within a common source-side setup. Our results indicate that JUNO achieves stronger overall sensitivity across most of the parameter space, primarily because its inclusive event-level visible-energy criterion efficiently retains soft elastic recoils. In contrast, DUNE demonstrates systematically larger visible effective cross sections in the deep-inelastic scattering (DIS) channel, where energetic final states readily exceed its particle-level hadronic thresholds. Moreover, kinematic hardening of elastic recoils at heavier mediator masses (mZ′≳1 GeV) and higher incident energies (EKD≳1 GeV) further enhances DUNE’s elastic acceptance. Nevertheless, over most of the benchmark parameter space considered here, JUNO yields a larger total signal rate because the incident dark meson flux peaks sharply at low energies, favoring the soft elastic regime. Consequently, this interplay between flux distribution and detector thresholds causes the sensitivity gap between JUNO and DUNE to narrow significantly in the heavy-mediator regime. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Search for New Physics Through Combined Approaches)
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16 pages, 22205 KB  
Article
Properties of Heavy Higgs Bosons and Dark Matter Under Current Experimental Limits in the μNMSSM
by Zhaoxia Heng, Xingjuan Li and Liangliang Shang
Universe 2025, 11(3), 103; https://doi.org/10.3390/universe11030103 - 20 Mar 2025
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 615
Abstract
Searches for new particles beyond the Standard Model (SM) are an important task for the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). In this paper, we investigate the properties of the heavy non-SM Higgs bosons in the μ-term extended Next-to-Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (μ [...] Read more.
Searches for new particles beyond the Standard Model (SM) are an important task for the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). In this paper, we investigate the properties of the heavy non-SM Higgs bosons in the μ-term extended Next-to-Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (μNMSSM). We scan the parameter space of the μNMSSM considering the basic constraints from Higgs data, dark matter (DM) relic density, and LHC searches for sparticles. And we also consider the constraints from the LZ2022 experiment and the muon anomaly constraint at the 2σ level. We find that the LZ2022 experiment has a strict constraint on the parameter space of the μNMSSM, and the limits from the DM-nucleon spin-independent (SI) and spin-dependent (SD) cross-sections are complementary. Then, we discuss the exotic decay modes of heavy Higgs bosons decaying into SM-like Higgs bosons. We find that for doublet-dominated Higgs h3 and A2, the main exotic decay channels are h3→ZA1, h3→h1h2, A2→A1h1, and A2→Zh2, and the branching ratio can reach to about 23%, 10%, 35%, and 10% respectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Search for New Physics Through Combined Approaches)
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Review

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18 pages, 708 KB  
Review
Numerical Tools for Electroweak Phase Transition
by Xinran Zeng and Yang Zhang
Universe 2026, 12(3), 73; https://doi.org/10.3390/universe12030073 - 5 Mar 2026
Viewed by 502
Abstract
The electroweak phase transition serves as a crucial portal to explore physics beyond the Standard Model, with profound implications for gravitational waves, baryogenesis, dark matter, and vacuum stability. We review the computational workflow for analyzing cosmological phase transitions, which includes constructing the finite-temperature [...] Read more.
The electroweak phase transition serves as a crucial portal to explore physics beyond the Standard Model, with profound implications for gravitational waves, baryogenesis, dark matter, and vacuum stability. We review the computational workflow for analyzing cosmological phase transitions, which includes constructing the finite-temperature effective potential, identifying possible phases, tracing transition history, calculating transition rates, milestone temperatures, and thermal parameters, as well as the numerical tools developed for each step. We compare the functionalities, strategies, and applicable scopes of these tools, aiming to provide a practical guide that helps researchers select the most appropriate computational resources for their studies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Search for New Physics Through Combined Approaches)
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41 pages, 5616 KB  
Review
Searching for New Physics in an Ultradense Environment: A Review on Dark Matter Admixed Neutron Stars
by Francesco Grippa, Gaetano Lambiase and Tanmay Kumar Poddar
Universe 2025, 11(3), 74; https://doi.org/10.3390/universe11030074 - 21 Feb 2025
Cited by 26 | Viewed by 3621
Abstract
Neutron stars (NSs), among the densest objects in the universe, are exceptional laboratories for investigating the properties of dark matter (DM). Recent theoretical and observational developments have heightened interest in exploring the impact of DM on NS structure, giving rise to the concept [...] Read more.
Neutron stars (NSs), among the densest objects in the universe, are exceptional laboratories for investigating the properties of dark matter (DM). Recent theoretical and observational developments have heightened interest in exploring the impact of DM on NS structure, giving rise to the concept of dark matter admixed neutron stars (DANSs). This review examines how NSs can accumulate DM over time, potentially altering their fundamental properties. We explore the leading models describing DM behavior within NSs, focusing on the effects of both bosonic and fermionic candidates on key features such as mass, radius, and tidal deformability. Additionally, we review how DM can modify the cooling and heating processes, trigger the formation of a black hole, and impact gravitational wave (GW) emissions from binary systems. By synthesizing recent research, this work highlights how DANSs might produce observable signatures, offering new opportunities to probe DM’s properties through astrophysical phenomena. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Search for New Physics Through Combined Approaches)
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