Structure of the Nucleon and Few-Body Nuclear Systems with Electron Scattering

Kent State University, Kent OH

Investigators

Abstract

This award provides support to investigate the internal structure and dynamics of the proton and neutron, and of the lightest nuclei in nature: deuterium and helium. The investigation will be based on experimental studies of high-energy electrons scattering off hydrogen, deuterium, tritium and helium nuclei. The proposed research will use the high-intensity, high-energy electron beam of the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility to bombard nuclei in cryogenic target environments and to study the nuclear reaction products with particle detection devices using superconducting magnets and subatomic particle detectors. The results are expected to provide fundamental information on the distributions of the three quarks inside the proton and neutron, on the quantum mechanical wave functions of deuterium and helium, and on the mechanism of the interaction of the proton and neutron constituents of these two light nuclei. The expected experimental data from the proposed investigation will offer valuable input to our understanding of the structure of the proton and neutron in terms of their three quark constituents and to the establishment of a consistent modern theory describing the simplest nuclear systems.