Electron-Proton Deep Inelastic Scattering

Abstract

Electron-Proton Deep Inelastic Scattering

Tracy Glen Hastings
Department of Physics
University of North Georgia

Deep Inelastic Scattering (DIS) has been a successful method of probing the universe for physics beyond current understanding and knowledge. DIS experiments have led to the discovery of quarks, particle charge radii, and even the weak force—one of the four fundamental forces of nature. In the future, at facilities like the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), DIS experiments could discover unknown physics and lead scientists to understanding the early universe—just moments after the big bang. In this particular DIS research, high energy electron-proton (EP) collision cross-sections (probabilities) were calculated and plotted as a function of N-jettiness. At high energies of the scale producible at the LHC, an electron colliding with a proton will cause an explosion of energy and matter. That matter scatters at varying angles like shrapnel from a hand grenade and N-jettiness is a way to quantify how scattered the matter becomes and allows for soft radiation inclusion. Starting with the most basic cross-section of EP scattering, correction terms were considered and higher ordered calculations were made and plotted. This research was conducted as an alternative method of analyzing these collisions in a more inclusive way than previous techniques and has promise for experimental testing for accuracy.