NSF-BSF: Saturation and Quantum Coherence: Gearing up for EIC

量子色动力学（QCD）是描述夸克和胶子（原子核的基本组成部分）之间基本相互作用的理论。在QCD框架中，核物理学家正在研究物质在极端温度，压力和密度条件下的行为，使用高能加速粒子之间的高能碰撞。后者是在领先的粒子物理对撞机设施，如欧洲核子研究中心的大型强子对撞机（LHC）和未来的电子离子对撞机（EIC）上使用高能粒子束进行密集实验研究的焦点。理论预测和实验观测之间的详细比较对于这些科学计划的成功至关重要。在这种情况下，PI和他的合作者将研究高能强子中胶子密度的饱和度，这一点正在LHC上使用超周边碰撞（UPC）进行实验研究，并将在未来的EIC上使用核上的深度非弹性散射（DIS）进行研究。该项目将为学生提供培训机会。PI还将为中级和高级研究生组织一个暑期学校，主题是本项目的物理学。本项目建议使用目前社区可用的方法来研究高能强子波函数的相关性。特别是通过将量子力学的玻恩-奥本海默近似适应于具有连续时间尺度的系统，人们应该能够提高对高能演化的理解和准确性。实际执行这一程序是本项目的目标之一。另一个有趣的问题是相关粒子的产生依赖于光子的虚拟性，从UPC到高度虚拟的DIS。探索由量子相干效应主导的制度到经典色域的主导地位之间的过渡是这个项目的目标。研究强子波函数中的纠缠与高能碰撞后可能的本征态热化行为之间的关系也是我们的目标。这里的重点将是半硬模式的行为，具有准热分布已经在碰撞前的弹丸波function.This奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得的支持，通过评估使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准。

Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) is the theory describing the fundamental interactions between quarks and gluons, the fundamental constituents of the atomic nucleus. In the QCD framework, nuclear physicists are studying the behavior of matter under extreme conditions of temperature, pressure, and density using highly energetic collisions between particles accelerated at high-energy. The latter is the focus of intense experimental research using high-energy particle beams at leading particle physics collider facilities such as the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN and the future Electron Ion Collider (EIC). Detailed comparison between theoretical predictions and experimental observations are critical for the success of those scientific programs. In this context, the PI and his collaborators will study the saturation of the gluonic density in hadrons at high energy that is being investigated experimentally using Ultra Peripheral Collisions (UPC) at the LHC and will be studied using Deeply Inelastic Scattering (DIS) on nuclei at the future EIC. This project will provide training opportunities for students. The PI will also organize a summer school for intermediate and advanced graduate students on physics topics specific to this project.This project proposes to study correlations in hadronic wave function at high energy using extension of the methods currently available to the community. In particular by adapting the quantum mechanical Born-Oppenheimer approximation to systems with continuum of time scales, one should be able to improve on the understanding as well as accuracy of the high energy evolution. Practical implementation of such a procedure is one of the goals of the current project. Another interesting question is dependence of correlated particle production on the virtuality of the photon starting from UPC to highly virtual DIS. Probing the transition between the regime dominated by quantum coherence effects to the dominance of classical color domains is a goal of this project. A study of the relation between the entanglement in the hadronic wave function and possible Eigenstate thermalization behavior after a high energy collision, described by a quench is also our goal. The focus here will be on the behavior of semi hard modes which have quasi thermal distribution already in the precollision projectile wave function.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.