We highlight the progress, current status, and open challenges of QCD-driven physics, in theory and in experiment. We discuss how the strong interaction is intimately connected to a broad sweep of physical problems, in settings ranging from astrophysics and cosmology to strongly coupled, complex systems in particle and condensed-matter physics, as well as to searches for physics beyond the Standard Model. We also discuss how success in describing the strong interaction impacts other fields, and, in turn, how such subjects can impact studies of the strong interaction. In the course of the work we offer a perspective on the many research streams which flow into and out of QCD, as well as a vision for future developments.

QCD and strongly coupled gauge theories: challenges and perspectives

https://www.ge.infn.it/jlab12/IT/files/0612014-C.F..pdf

Nucleon electromagnetic form factors

The extremely precise extraction of the proton radius obtained by Pohl et al. from the measured energy difference between the 2P and 2S states of muonic hydrogen disagrees significantly with that extracted from electronic hydrogen or elastic electron–proton scattering. This discrepancy is the proton radius puzzle. In this review, we explain the origins of the puzzle and the reasons for believing it to be very significant. We identify various possible solutions of the puzzle and discuss future research needed to resolve the puzzle.

https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/pdf/10.1146/annurev-nucl-102212-170627

Muonic Hydrogen and the Proton Radius Puzzle

Electromagnetic excitation of the Δ(1232)-resonance

Baryons as relativistic three-quark bound states

Two-photon exchange contributions to elastic electron-proton scattering cross sections are evaluated in a simple hadronic model including the finite size of the proton. The corrections are found to be small, but with a strong angular dependence at fixed Q{sup 2}. This is significant for the Rosenbluth technique for determining the ratio of electric and magnetic form factors of the proton, and partly reconciles the apparent discrepancy with the results of the polarization transfer technique.

/pdf/two-photon-exchange-and-elastic-electron-proton-scattering-12yxh5ti8l.pdf

Two-Photon Exchange and Elastic Electron-Proton Scattering

Review of two-photon exchange in electron scattering

A Quark-Meson Coupling (QMC) model is extended to finite nuclei in the relativistic mean-field or Hartree approximation. The ultra-relativistic quarks are assumed to be bound in non-overlapping nucleon bags, and the interaction between nucleons arises from a coupling of vector and scalar meson fields to the quarks. We develop a perturbative scheme for treating the spatial nonuniformity of the meson fields over the volume of the nucleon as well as the nucleus. Results of calculations for spherical nuclei are given, based on a fit to the equilibrium properties of nuclear matter. Several possible extensions of the model are also considered.

Quark-meson coupling model for finite nuclei

We present a comprehensive study of two-boson exchange (TBE) corrections in parity-violating electron-proton elastic scattering. Within a hadronic framework, we compute contributions from box (and crossed box) diagrams in which the intermediate states are described by nucleons and Delta baryons. The Delta contribution is found to be much smaller than the nucleon one at backward angles (small epsilon), but becomes dominant in the forward scattering limit (epsilon near 1), where the nucleon contribution vanishes. The dependence of the corrections on the input hadronic form factors is small for Q^2 < 1 GeV^2, but becomes significant at larger Q^2. We compute the nucleon and Delta TBE corrections relevant for recent and planned parity-violating experiments, with the total corrections ranging from -1% for forward angles to 1-2% at backward kinematics.

Detailed analysis of two-boson exchange in parity-violating e-p scattering

We review the role of two-photon exchange (TPE) in electron-hadron scattering, focusing in particular on hadronic frameworks suitable for describing the low and moderate Q^2 region relevant to most experimental studies. We discuss the effects of TPE on the extraction of nucleon form factors and their role in the resolution of the proton electric to magnetic form factor ratio puzzle. The implications of TPE on various other observables, including neutron form factors, electroproduction of resonances and pions, and nuclear form factors, are summarized. Measurements seeking to directly identify TPE effects, such as through the angular dependence of polarization measurements, nonlinear epsilon contributions to the cross sections, and via e+ p to e- p cross section ratios, are also outlined. In the weak sector, we describe the role of TPE and gamma-Z interference in parity-violating electron scattering, and assess their impact on the extraction of the strange form factors of the nucleon and the weak charge of the proton.

Peter Blunden

Papers

Two-Photon Exchange and Elastic Electron-Proton Scattering

Review of two-photon exchange in electron scattering

Quark-meson coupling model for finite nuclei

Detailed analysis of two-boson exchange in parity-violating e-p scattering

Review of two-photon exchange in electron scattering