The Gluonic Structure of the Nucleon

As a nucleus, protons and neutrons form the basis of atoms. They themselves are complicated bound states of quarks and gluons whose interactions are governed by Quantum Chromody- namics (QCD). Computing the forces at play inside nucleons is a challenging task since QCD is strongly coupled at the energy scales involved. On the other hand, due to their abundance protons offer a unique opportunity to study these forces and understand the intricate interplay between quarks and gluons that generate their properties such as mass and spin. This project aims to explore the aforementioned interplay inside nucleons by utilizing Gauge/Gravity duality, a formalism proposed to study strongly coupled field theories by mapping them onto weakly coupled gravitational theories. In this formalism, physical phenomena arise from certain geometries and fields whose dynamics they constrain. Even though Gauge/Gravity is based on formal computations in highly symmetric string theories, the application to less symmet- ric systems, like QCD, has resulted in novel insigths into the strong coupling behavior of field theories. The computations carried out in this research project will focus on high-energy scattering in- volving protons at low to moderate momentum transfer. In particular they will focus on the kinematical range accessible at the Electron Ion Collider (EIC) which is currently under con- struction at Brookhaven National Laboratory, New York. The research findings will not only offer testable predictions but also shape the development of the next-generation particle collid- ers as well as contribute to a deeper understanding of the nucleon structure and QCD in the strong coupling regime.