Quantum chromodynamics (QCD) is a theory that describes how quarks are bound together by strings of "gluons." Various combinations of the quarks and gluons form particles such as the pion, neutron, and proton.. These particles are very important for nuclear and particle physics and have been studied extensively over the last fifty years. However, it has proved to be quite difficult to start with the theory of QCD and calculate many of the properties of these particles that are of experimental interest (such as structure functions).
In the transverse lattice approach to QCD, one takes advantage of the fact that gluons behave as relativistic strings. The goal of this project is to calculate the masses and wavefunctions of the mesons (states containing two quarks). These masses and wavefunctions can then be compared with various experimental results.
Each summer, undergraduate students will work on this project as student interns. They will work on computer calculations as well as more physics-related issues.
