Studies of Strangeness, Baryon Structure and Exotic Atoms

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0070942Alberg This research program in nuclear theory addresses several problems related to the structure of the proton and its interactions with other hadrons. We focus on problems in which the description of the proton in terms of its constituent quarks, antiquarks, and gluons can be tested by experiment. One objective is to understand, in terms of a meson cloud model,the measured asymmetry in the number of up antiquarks and down antiquarks in the proton sea. A second objective is to determine how proton structure is manifest in the interactions between antiprotons and protons which produce strangeness. Experimental data will be used to test effectiveinteractions for quark-antiquark annihilation and creation and to test our model of polarized, intrinsic strangeness in the nucleon. A third objective is to develop an optical potential which describes the interaction of antiprotons with the proton and other nucleons in a bound state, i.e. an antiprotonic atom. Experimental energy level shifts and widths will be used to learn about nucleon density distributions and the elementary antiproton-nucleon interaction. A major focus of this program is the participation of undergraduate students as research assistants. This experience will be complementary to their coursework, and provide trainingin research methods and scientific communication that will better prepare them for graduate study, teaching, or work in industry5.