In a collaborative effort, researchers from the low- and high-energy nuclear physics communities have joined forces to explore the intersection of their respective fields. The team, led by T. Duguet, G. Giacalone, V. Somà, and Y. Zhou, has been investigating how the structure of atomic nuclei at low energies can influence the behavior of matter at high energies, particularly in heavy-ion collisions. Their work, published in a topical issue of the European Physical Journal A, highlights the growing recognition of the importance of nuclear structure in interpreting high-energy collision data.
Historically, high-energy heavy-ion physics and low-energy nuclear structure physics have been distinct fields. However, recent advances in both theory and experiment have shown that the hydrodynamic description of the quark-gluon plasma (QGP) – a state of matter created in high-energy collisions – is sensitive to the detailed features of the colliding nuclei. This sensitivity has remarkable consequences for experimental observables, providing a new way to “image” nuclei and probe many-body correlations of nucleons directly in the nuclear ground state.
The researchers emphasize that this new experimental approach offers outstanding opportunities to deepen our understanding of strong-interaction matter. By combining collider data with state-of-the-art nuclear structure calculations, scientists can address fundamental questions about the consistency of emergent many-body QCD phenomena across experiments and energy scales. This synergy not only allows heavy-ion collisions to probe nuclear forces but also refines our understanding of QGP dynamics.
For the energy sector, this research could have implications for nuclear energy technologies, particularly in the development of advanced nuclear reactors and fusion energy systems. A deeper understanding of nuclear structure and the behavior of matter under extreme conditions can contribute to the design and safety of these energy systems. Furthermore, the insights gained from this research could potentially inform the development of new materials and technologies for energy storage and conversion.
In summary, the collaboration between low- and high-energy nuclear physics communities is yielding valuable insights into the behavior of matter at both low and high energies. This interdisciplinary approach holds promise for advancing our understanding of nuclear structure and strong-interaction matter, with potential applications in the energy sector. The research was published in the European Physical Journal A, reflecting the growing recognition of the importance of nuclear structure in interpreting high-energy collision data.
This article is based on research available at arXiv.