Thursday 20 March 2025
The quest for a deeper understanding of the internal structure of protons and neutrons has been ongoing for decades, driving advances in fields like particle physics and nuclear physics. Now, researchers have made significant strides in this endeavor by exploring the properties of Generalized Parton Distributions (GPDs), which describe how quarks and gluons are distributed within these building blocks of matter.
To grasp the significance of GPDs, consider that they provide a window into the internal dynamics of protons and neutrons, offering insights into their mechanical properties, such as pressure and shear forces. This knowledge can be applied to better understand a range of phenomena, from the strong nuclear force that holds quarks together within hadrons to the behavior of high-energy particles in particle colliders.
The study of GPDs is particularly challenging because it requires measuring the scattering of high-energy photons or leptons off protons and neutrons. This process is sensitive to the internal structure of these particles, making it an ideal probe for studying their properties. However, the measurements are complex and require sophisticated experimental techniques and data analysis.
Researchers have been using a variety of approaches to study GPDs, including deep virtual Compton scattering (DVCS) and time-like Compton scattering (TCS). These processes involve the scattering of high-energy photons or leptons off protons and neutrons, allowing scientists to extract information about the internal structure of these particles.
In this latest work, researchers have focused on a specific process called double deeply virtual Compton scattering (DDVCS), which is a generalization of DVCS and TCS. DDVCS involves the scattering of high-energy photons or leptons off protons and neutrons in a way that accesses new regions of phase space, providing additional insights into GPDs.
The study used data from experiments conducted at the Jefferson Laboratory and the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, as well as theoretical models to analyze the results. The researchers found that DDVCS measurements can be used to extract information about the chiral-even proton GPDs from different model predictions.
One of the key findings is that the DDVCS process is sensitive to the behavior of quarks and gluons within protons and neutrons, particularly in regions where the internal structure is not well understood. This sensitivity makes DDVCS an attractive probe for studying the properties of GPDs.
Cite this article: “Unveiling the Internal Structure of Protons and Neutrons with Generalized Parton Distributions”, The Science Archive, 2025.
Particle Physics, Nuclear Physics, Generalized Parton Distributions, Quarks, Gluons, Protons, Neutrons, Strong Nuclear Force, High-Energy Particles, Compton Scattering.
