Towards a Quark-Gluon Description of the Nucleon

Hampton University, Hampton VA

Investigators

Abstract

This award will support the continued efforts of the Hampton University intermediate energy nuclear physics group. This group was formed nearly two decades ago to address a critical need in a science where African-Americans are severely under-represented. Since that time the group has significantly expanded the scientific program, while facilitating the successful careers of a number of minority scientists. The group is recognized for leadership in studies of the structure of the nucleon (proton or neutron), in particular in kinematics where the quarks in the substructure carry a large fraction of the total momentum of the system. Precision measurements of nucleon structure in this regime provide critical information regarding the mysterious transition from a scale where only quarks and gluons matter, to the scale where only nucleons and mesons need to be considered. The group has spearheaded efforts to utilize global data sets for a more comprehensive understanding, and to better model the observed phenomena. The group will continue to focus on electron scattering experiments at the nearby Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, in particular looking in anticipation to the planned energy upgrade of this laboratory. The group will, as well, broaden to focus on the MINERvA experiment at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. This experiment will use the unique properties of neutrinos, which experience only the weak force, as opposed to the electromagnetic probe provided by an electron beam, and carry a neutral charge, as opposed to the negatively charged electrons. Neutrino scattering is a largely uncharted realm in nucleon structure studies, and promises to provide new insights into the quark-gluon structure of the nucleon. The group is also planning further into the future, investigating the possibilities for nucleon structure studies at the energy frontier of a proposed future new electron-ion collider.