Baryon Structures and Hadron Interactions

Arizona State University, Scottsdale AZ

Investigators

Abstract

0073003 Comfort The fundamental particles and interactions in nature are currently described by the Standard Model, with the sector of strong interactions described by QCD. The open and difficult challenge is to understand in detail how these theories describe the properties of matter. The empirical knowledge of the subnucleonic (quark and gluon) degrees of freedom in the structure of baryons and mesons and their interactions is essential for understanding the nature and dynamics of the fundamental nuclear interactions. A program in medium-energy nuclear physics is being planned that will bring new and important information for these issues. The properties of baryons can be explored by bringing pion and kaon beams onto proton targets. Critical tests of the Standard Model can also be made by studying specific decays of kaons. Because the experimental work will be carried out at large accelerator facilities in the U.S. and Europe, the planning activities will include travel to these facilities or other institutions for detailed discussions with collaborators, as well as computer simulations and calculations for the experiments that are anticipated.