Proton structure in high energy collisions

• Grant number: 24/06652-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: August 01, 2024
• End date: February 29, 2028
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Physics - Nuclear Physics
• Principal Investigator: Fernando Silveira Navarra
• Grantee: Ríchard Terra de Oliveira
• Host Institution: Instituto de Física (IF). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 20/04867-2 - High energy physics and instrumentation with the LHC-CERN, AP.ESP

Abstract

In the last years, the proton picture in which the quarks are disposed in the extremities of an ``Y" like gluon string, also called string junction, or baryon junction (BJ), has been intensively investigated. We have implemented the BJ in the Glauber model applied to nucleon-nucleon collisions and we could explain the overgrowth of $J/\psi$ production in ultracentral proton-proton collisions. In this PhD project, we will further explore this topic by investigating the BJ effects in hadronic high energy collisions. We will study open charm production in different rapidity and transverse momentum windows. We will also extend our study to charmonium production in proton-lead collisions. We intend to apply the BJ to study baryon production in high energy collisions and try to explain the measured spectra of leading baryons. We will also deal with baryon production in electron-nucleus collisions, at the Electron-Ion Collider. In this situation, the photon fluctuates into a color dipole and interacts with a nucleon from the target. The dipole-junction interaction will produce a baryon. The unknown variable in this formalism is the dipole-junction cross section. By using our previous experience in the study of dipole-dipole interactions, we intend to make the first estimate of this quantity. In the end, we will investigate the BJ effects on tetraquark spectra.