The deuteron and standard model mass scale

• Grant number: 18/02182-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: April 01, 2018
• End date: December 31, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Physics - Elementary Particle Physics and Fields
• Principal Investigator: Diogo Rodrigues Boito
• Grantee: Adonai Hilario da Silva
• Host Institution: Instituto de Física de São Carlos (IFSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 15/20689-9 - Precise determination of fundamental QCD parameters, AP.JP

Abstract

The main goal of this work is to produce a realistic model for the deuteron, the bound state of a proton and a neutron, and thus be able to study its binding energy as a function of the pion's mass. Thereby, the properties of this state can be related to the expected value of the Higgs field in the vacuum, through the celebrated Gell-Mann, Oakes and Renner formula. Having in mind the process of stellar nucleosynthesis, we will study which values of this fundamental parameter of the standard model would be compatible with the existence of complex elements in a hypothetical universe where only this parameter differs from the its observed value. (AU)