From nuclear structure to nucleon structure

Abstract:  Unlike the conventional picture of nucleons moving independently in mean-field orbitals, experiments show that 20% of nucleons in nuclei have momentum greater than the Fermi momentum. These high-momentum nucleons are predominantly composed of evanescent short-distance neutron-proton (np) pairs interacting via the tensor force. This np-pair dominance implies that protons move faster than neutrons in neutron-rich asymmetric nuclei. In addition, these np-pairs appear very closely associated with nucleon modification in nuclei as measured by the EMC effect. This talk will discuss the evidence for these short-range correlated pairs, their connection to the EMC effect, and the possible implications for neutron stars, nucleon modification in nuclei, and neutrino oscillation measurements.