Office: DUAN F227
Research Interests:
My research is focused on the elucidation of how the basic constituents of the nucleon, quarks, are bound in a gluonic field. At present, we still have only basic one-dimensional momentum distributions of the quarks and gluons. Recent advances, both experimental and theoretical, have opened the possibility of learning about the true three-dimensional structure.
My present research program is based on using high-energy polarized beams to explore the nucleon's structure. A key quest is to understand in detail how the nucleon's spin of 1/2 hbar is derived from the quarks and gluons. The intrinsic spins of the quarks was once thought to be the complete explanation, but now we know that only about 30% of the nucleon spin comes from the quark spins. Another possible contribution could arise from the angular momentum of the gluonic field. Finally, the quarks could actually be moving in orbits inside the nucleon.