RUI: Studies of Nucleon Structure Using Electromagnetic Probes at Jefferson Laboratory

Christopher Newport University, Newport News VA

Investigators

Abstract

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). This group's program of experiments at the Jefferson laboratory - past, present, and future - embody one of the primary goals of Nuclear Physics - to elucidate the underlying structure of protons, neutrons, and mesons. Specifically, these experiments further our understanding of how the moving charged quarks are distributed inside the proton, and how other fundamental properties of the proton are related to the static and dynamic properties of the quarks themselves. As well, these experiments will strengthen our quantitative understanding of the phenomenon of quark confinement - the notion that quarks are always "confined" within protons, neutrons, and other particles - by exploring the role of gluons, the particles that bind these quarks together. Consistent with the goals of the RUI program, education of undergraduates and masters-level graduate students is a central component of this program. The major projects that will be undertaken by the group provide a multitude of opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students in the Applied Physics, Computer Engineering, and Computer Science streams. The projects will provide excellent training for students in the areas of programming, modeling, analysis techniques, and critical judgment. Finally, the team has demonstrated that the physics program at Jefferson Lab provides an exciting opportunity to expose undergraduates to the field of Nuclear Physics, and that their students do continue on to graduate study in the field.