Hadronic QCD
Dr. Garth M. Huber
Professor of Physics
B.Sc. Phys, B.Sc. Math, PhD. (Regina)Proton and Pion Form Factors
Prospective Graduate Students
Dr. Zisis Papandreou
Professor of Physics, Department Head
Lyceum (Thessaloniki), B.Sc. Phys, PhD. (Regina)GlueX - Exotic Hybrid Mesons
Dr. Aram Teymurazyan
Assistant Professor of Physics
B.Sc. Phys (Yerevan), MSc. (Kentucky), PhD. (Kentucky)Plant Imaging and Jefferson Lab Physics
Our Research Explained for the Public
The aim of our research group is to study and understand certain aspects of the inner workings of the fundamental building blocks of matter (quarks) and their "mortar" (gluons). Quarks are not manifested as free particles in nature, therefore their study involves investigations of their stable combinations in particles, such as nucleons (protons and neutrons) as well as the particles which "transmit" the nuclear force among them, the mesons. Ultimately, the glue itself, which binds quarks, is also an objective of our investigations.
In order to accomplish these goals, our group leads experimental efforts in the field of subatomic physics. To that end, we are mapping out the structure of conventional mesons accurately, in order to test theoretical predictions and to provide valuable input to the interpretation of other experiments in the field. Additionally, the nature of the interaction among quarks is best investigated with photons (quanta of pure energy) through the production of exotic mesons which are not found in ordinary matter. Our experiments are being carried out at the high energy electron beam at the Jefferson Lab, USA, because electrons do not have a composite structure of their own and are thus the cleanest probe to access the desired physics, and will be extended at a future facility called the Electron-Ion Collider.
Technical Details
For the past quarter-century, physicists have suspected that subatomic particles made of the very glue that holds matter together at the most fundamental level must exist. Recently, searches for these elusive particles have intensified as tantalizing hints of their presence have appeared. These include evidence for exotics (mesons with exotic quantum number combinations). The GlueX project at Jefferson Lab aims to identify these unusual particles predicted by QCD, but whose structure lies outside the quark model. The JLab Eta Factory (JEF) experiment will involve precision measurements of eta rare de-cays, using an upgraded FCAL calorimeter. The eta decay photons and leptons will be measured with a high- granularity, high-resolution PbWO4 crystal core in the central FCAL-II region, which minimizes shower overlaps and optimizes the energy and position resolutions. Access to eta decays provides a rich flavor-conserving laboratory for new physics beyond the Standard Model (SM): JEF will facilitate the search for gauge boson candidates in the sub-GeV mass range, probing highly motivated portals coupling the SM to the dark sector. JEF will also test fundamental symmetries and the quark mass ratio, among others.
- We are a leading group in the GlueX Project.
- We have co-spokesmanhip in the JEF Experiment.
It is widely accepted that nucleons and nuclei are built from quarks, and the theory which describes their behavior is QCD, but this understanding is far from perfect and still untested in many ways. Our research program at Jefferson Lab (USA) is based on the search of direct QCD signatures in mesons and nucleons below the region of perturbative QCD (pQCD). For example, pQCD predicts a unique behavior of the pion form factor, as a direct consequence of the asymptotic freedom of quarks at infinite momenta. Our experiments will be the first to test this prediction.
- We have co-spokesmanship in the Pion Form Factor program at Jefferson Lab.
The Electron-Ion Collider (EIC) is a premier project in nuclear physics, under design and soon construction with plans of it coming online in the early 2030s. It aims to study the dynamic interactions of the smallest internal building blocks of visible matter, quarks and gluons, and help us understand the underlying laws that govern the strongest force in nature. We are part of EIC Canada. We have undertaken a central role in the design and construction of the Barrel Imaging Calorimeter (BIC) together with groups in the USA, Germany and Korea.
- We play a leading role in the Electron-Ion Collider
- Read more about Dr. Huber's Electron-Ion Collider work