CAREER: Quark and Gluon Structure of Nucleons and Nuclei

这个项目试图揭示原子核结构的新方面，这些原子核构成了地球上99%以上的物质。原子核的经典图像是质子和中子的集合。粒子物理学的标准模型用更基本的成分来描述这些质子和中子的结构，物质粒子(夸克)和将夸克结合在一起的载力粒子(胶子)。揭示质子、中子和原子核的夸克和胶子结构是连接核物理和粒子物理与数据科学和高性能计算的根本挑战。特别是，胶子结构的新研究需要一些技术，这些技术将在世界上最大的计算机上开发和实施标准模型理论的超级计算机计算。建造一台新的粒子对撞机来测量胶子结构是核物理界长期计划中的重中之重。这个项目将为新的实验计划提供理论基准，并促进对我们对物质结构和自然界中核结构复杂性出现的理解的新测试。这个项目将通过晶格量子色动力学(QCD)计算核子的胶子组成和原子核中核子结构的修改，专注于自然界基本结构的新方面。这些结果将为当前和未来的核和粒子物理实验计划提供必要的信息，例如计划中的电子-离子对撞机(EIC)，旨在未来十年以前所未有的精度测量核子和原子核的胶子结构。特别是，在计划中的EIC上，将首次干净地测量核子的三维胶子结构。这个项目的一个主要目标是第一次计算描述这种结构的胶子广义形状因子。另一个目标是首次通过胶子横截面结构函数确定原子核中的外来胶水。最后，我们将首先计算QCD对几种多体核效应的约束。这些都是解释下一代强度前沿实验结果的越来越重要的理论投入。例如，这些计算将限制原子核中奇异夸克核子西格玛项的修改，这为直接探测候选粒子暗物质的理论截面提供了重要的修正。这一裁决反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This project seeks to reveal new aspects of the structure of the atomic nuclei that make up more than 99% of the matter on Earth. The classic picture of a nucleus is a collection of protons and neutrons. The Standard Model of particle physics describes the structure of these protons and neutrons in terms of more fundamental constituents, matter particles (quarks) and force-carrier particles (gluons) that bind the quarks together. Revealing the quark and gluon structure of protons, neutrons and nuclei is a fundamental challenge bridging nuclear and particle physics with data science and high-performance computing. In particular, new studies of gluon structure require techniques that will be developed and implemented in supercomputer calculations of the Standard Model theory on the largest computers in the world. Building a new particle collider to measure gluon structure is the highest priority in the long-range plan of the nuclear physics community. This project will provide theory benchmarks for new experimental programs and facilitate new tests of our understanding of the structure of matter and of the emergence of the complexities of nuclear structure in nature. This project will focus on new aspects of the fundamental structure of nature through Lattice Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) calculations of the gluon composition of the nucleon and of the modification of nucleon structure in nuclei. The results will provide essential information for current and future nuclear and particle physics experimental programs, such as the planned electron-ion collider (EIC) designed to measure the gluon structure of nucleons and nuclei with unprecedented precision over the next decade. In particular, the three-dimensional gluon structure of the nucleon will be cleanly measured for the first time at the planned EIC. A main goal of this project is the first calculation of the gluon generalised form factors describing this structure. Another goal is the first determination of exotic glue in nuclei through the gluon transversity structure function. Finally, first calculations of QCD constraints on several muti-body nuclear effects will be undertaken. These are increasingly important theory inputs to the interpretation of the results of next-generation intensity frontier experiments. For example, these calculations will constrain the modification of the strange quark nucleon sigma term in nuclei, which provides an important correction to theory cross-sections for the direct detection of particle dark matter candidates.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.