Research in Strong-Interaction Theory

结合原子核的强相互作用的物理学，自然地使用复合质子和中子(统称为强子)在低能时描述，而在高能时使用夸克和胶子描述，夸克和胶子是它们的组成部分。该项目将继续开发方法，以实现与模型无关的、计算效率高的低能原子核的微观计算，并提供从强子描述到夸克-胶子描述的交叉的洞察。它将解决核物理中的前沿问题，如远离稳定性的原子核物理，这与天体物理学有关，并在现有和拟议的稀有同位素加速器上进行研究，可能应用于核能和国土安全(通过储存管理计划)。一个关键的工具是“重整化群”，它允许强子之间的作用力演化成更容易处理的形式。越来越复杂的夸克-强子对偶模型的发展，以及用于研究轻核短程结构的改进的理论工具，与托马斯·杰斐逊国家加速器的实验计划有很强的直接联系。这个项目将在许多方面产生更广泛的影响。强调物理系统的普遍方面，这导致了学科之间加强合作(包括凝聚态和原子物理，以及量子化学)。本科生、研究生和博士后研究助理在开展该项目活动时接受的培训直接有助于建立一支多样化的科学队伍。我们的学生和博士后必须使用分析和数值计算的混合方法，这是为学术和工业研究做好准备的极好方法。PI已经成功地指导了几个代表不足的团体的成员，其中包括四个获得教职的人。本科生将积极参与研究(由NSF REU计划资助)；所有以前毕业的REU学生要么在工业或商业工作，要么进入专业或研究生院学习。此外，外展工作将把互动科学带给广泛的俄亥俄州居民。

The physics of the strong interaction, which binds atomic nuclei, is naturally described at low energies using composite protons and neutrons (collectively called hadrons) and at high energies using quarks and gluons, which are their constituents. This project will continue the development of methods to achieve model-independent, computationally efficient, microscopic calculations of nuclei at low energies, and provide insight into the crossover from hadronic to quark-gluon descriptions. It will address forefront problems in nuclear physics, such as the physics of nuclei far from stability, which is relevant for astrophysics and studied at existing and proposed rare-isotope accelerators, with potential applications to nuclear energy and homeland security (through the stockpile stewardship program). A key tool is the "renormalization group", which allows the forces between hadrons to be evolved to more tractable forms. The development of increasingly sophisticated models of quark-hadron duality, as well as improved theoretical tools for the investigation of short-range structures in light nuclei, have strong and direct ties to the experimental program at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility.This project will have broader impacts in many ways. There is an emphasis on universal aspects of physical systems, which leads to enhanced collaborations between disciplines (including condensed matter and atomic physics, and quantum chemistry). The training received by undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral research associates in carrying out the project's activities contributes directly to the building of a diverse scientific workforce. The mix of analytical and numerical computation our students and postdocs must employ is excellent preparation for both academic and industrial research. The PI's have successfully mentored several members of under-represented groups, including four who have obtained faculty positions. Undergraduate will be actively involved in the research (with funding by the NSF REU program); all previous REU students who have graduated are either working in industry, or business, or enrolled in professional or graduate school. In addition, outreach efforts will bring interactive science to a wide range of Ohio residents.