Scientists have finally bridged the gap between two competing models of atomic nuclei, creating the first coherent picture using both quarks/gluons and protons/neutrons.
Why it matters: This breakthrough ends decades of parallel but disconnected theories about how atomic nuclei work. It gives physicists a more complete understanding of matter’s fundamental building blocks.
- Previously, scientists had to use separate models for low-energy and high-energy nuclear interactions, limiting our understanding.
Key finding: The research team successfully used quark-gluon models to explain nuclear properties previously only described using protons and neutrons.
“Until now, there have been two parallel descriptions of atomic nuclei… In our work, we have managed to bring these two so far separated worlds together.”
Dr. Aleksander Kusina, Nuclear Physics of the Polish Academy of Sciences
The process:
- Researchers analyzed high-energy collision data from the LHC
- Extended parton distribution functions to include nucleon pairs
- Validated results across 18 different atomic nuclei
Keep in mind: The model particularly excels at explaining proton-neutron pairs in heavy nuclei like gold and lead, but more research is needed for broader applications.
Real-world impact: This unified understanding could lead to:
- More precise medical imaging technologies
- Advanced materials development
TL;DR
- Scientists created the first model that explains atomic nuclei using both quarks/gluons and protons/neutrons simultaneously.
- The breakthrough ends nearly 60 years of disconnected theories about nuclear structure.
- The research confirms that proton-neutron pairs dominate in heavy nuclei, providing new insights for nuclear applications.
Read the Paper
Modification of Quark-Gluon Distributions in Nuclei by Correlated Nucleon Pairs