A new approach to probe hadronization via quantum entanglement

Recent physics studies have discovered that quarks and gluons inside protons, which are subatomic positively charged particles, exhibit maximal quantum entanglement at high energies. Entanglement is a physical phenomenon that entails correlations between distant particles that cannot be explained by classical physics theories, resulting in the state of one particle influencing that of another.

Researchers at Stony Brook University and the Brookhaven National Laboratory recently set out to better understand what this recent finding could mean for hadronization, the process by which quarks and gluons form hadrons, which are particles that can be detected experimentally. Their paper, published in Physical Review Letters, introduces a new approach to probe and study hadronization by leveraging quantum entanglement.

“Our study originated from the intriguing observation that the internal structure of protons at high energies exhibits maximal quantum entanglement,” Charles Joseph Naim, corresponding author for the paper, told Phys.org.

“This concept suggests that the quarks and gluons inside a proton are interconnected in such a way that the state of one instantly influences the state of another, regardless of distance. Inspired by this phenomenon, we aimed to explore its implications for hadronization, the process by which quarks and gluons transform into the visible particles detected in experiments.”

The primary objective of this recent study by Naim and his colleagues was to better understand how the entanglement between quarks and gluons in protons reported in recent studies influences the production of particles in proton–proton collisions. The team specifically focused on jets, narrow sprays of particles resulting from high-energy collisions.

“To extend our understanding of maximal entanglement to jet production, we analyzed data from the ATLAS Collaboration at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC),” explained Naim. “This data provided insights into how particles are produced and fragmented within jets. By applying the framework of maximal entanglement, we established a relationship between the fragmentation function (which describes how quarks and gluons transform into detectable hadrons) and the entropy (a measure of disorder or complexity) of the produced hadrons.”

In their analyses, Naim and his colleagues compared theoretical predictions derived using the maximum entanglement framework with experimental data collected by the LHC at CERN, the largest particle accelerator worldwide. This allowed them to validate their proposed theoretical model and determine whether quantum entanglement could in fact be leveraged to probe hadronization.

“One of our most significant findings is the successful application of the concept of maximal quantum entanglement to explain the patterns observed in jet production,” said Naim. “This approach offers a novel perspective on the transition from perturbative to non-perturbative quantum chromodynamics (QCD), the theory governing the interactions of quarks and gluons.”

This recent study by Naim and his colleagues could soon inform future research exploring the quantum nature of hadronization. Eventually, these efforts could help to derive more accurate predictions for particle physics experiments, while also improving the interpretation of future results. The team hopes that the observed maximal entanglement will ultimately also lead to an understanding of color confinement, one of the most challenging problems in modern science.

“Building on our current work, we plan to further investigate the role of quantum entanglement in various hadronization processes and possibly in nuclei,” added Naim. “Future research will involve analyzing data from upcoming experiments at facilities like the Electron-Ion Collider (EIC), which is expected to provide new insights into the behavior of quarks and gluons under different conditions.

“Additionally, we aim to develop more sophisticated models incorporating quantum information principles to enhance our understanding of particle production mechanisms.”

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