Theory Group Scientific Activity


The main theoretical research activity of INFN is organized in groups called Iniziative Specifiche (IS)
LNGS hosts 5 IS, namely: CT51, FA51, PD51, PI12, PI21.

The research topics  concern five main areas:

i) Astroparticle physics (mainly FA51);
ii) Compact stellar objects and dense hadronic matter (CT51);
iii) Cosmology, large scale structures and dark matter (PD51);
iv) Computer simulations of gauge theories (PI12);
v) Particle physics phenomenology (mainly PI21).


There is a long-standing collaboration between the theory group and the experiments at LNGS.

High Energy Astrophysics and Astroparticles
R. Aloisio, V. Berezinsky, P. Blasi, F.L. Villante, F. Vissani
(IS: FA51)
  • UHECR phenomenology: Galactic/extragalactic transition, prediction for protons/photons/nuclei spectra, propagation in magnetic fields, interactions with backgrounds (CMB, IRB, UV/visible), cosmological evolution.
  • Non thermal emission processes: Supernova Remnants, Active Galactic Nuclei, Gamma Ray Bursts.
  • CR Neutrinos: UHECR neutrinos in Top-Down models, Cosmogenic neutrinos, Neutrinos from Supernova Remnants.
  • Dark matter: Dynamic of structure formation. WIMP annihilation and related emissions.
  • Oscillation and neutrino masses: Global analysis of neutrino data; neutrino signals from Earth and Sun core; sterile neutrinos.
  • Fermion mass models. SO(10) model; mirror models; alternative models.
  • Cosmology: Dark Energy, Black Hole Physics.
  • Lattice QCD
    G. Di Carlo
    (IS: PI12)
  • Non-zero baryon density QCD: Toward the critical line with a variant of Hasenfraz-Karsch action; Study of the deconfining phase transition of four flavors QCD, with quark chemical potential as large as 270 MeV.
  • Models with theta term: simulation of models with topological terms, in particular SO(3) and in general CP^(n-1) models and SU(2) gauge.
  • Physics Beyond the Standard Model
    Z. Berezhiani, G. Di Panfilo, F. Nesti, L. Pilo N. Rossi
    (IS: PI21)
  • EW symmetry breaking: hierarchy problem, stabilization of EW scale. Higgs in supersymmetry, as pseudo-Goldstone, Higgsless models.
  • Supersymmetric GUTs: SU(5), SO(10), SU(6), ....; flavour & fermion masses; B & L violation: proton decay, neutron oscillation. CP violation: weak & strong.
  • Early Universe: inflation, baryogenesis/leptogenesis, nucleosynthesis, dark matter, large scale structure and CMB, cosmology of mirror sector.
  • Astrophysical and cosmological implications of light pseudoscalars (axion, majoron etc.). Alternative models of the axion.
  • Compact astrophysical objects, gamma ray bursts, gravitational waves.
  • Compact Stellar Objects and Dense Hadronic Matter
     M.Mannarelli, G. Pagliaroli, F. Vissani
    (IS: CT51)
  • Neutrinos from stellar collapse.
  • Oscillations in a dense neutrino environment.
  • Connecting the neutrinos and gravitational signals.
  • Signals from the transition of a neutron to a quark star.
  • Color superconductors and quark matter in extreme conditions
  • Astroparticle Physics: Cosmology. "Inflation, Dark Matter and the Large-Scale Structure of the Universe"
    Z. Berezhiani, M. Crisostomi, F. Nesti, L. Pilo, F.L. Villante
    (IS: PD51)
  • Modifications of gravity.
  • Big Bang Nucleosynthesis.
  • Neutrino phenomenology.

  • LNGS
    LNGS Theory Group