Award Abstract #0820899
MRI-Consortium: Development of the Pre-Shower Calorimeter for the CLAS12 Detector at Jefferson Lab

NSF Org:	PHY Division of Physics
Initial Amendment Date:	September 8, 2008
Latest Amendment Date:	September 8, 2008
Award Number:	0820899
Award Instrument:	Standard Grant
Program Manager:	Kathleen V. McCloud PHY Division of Physics MPS Directorate for Mathematical & Physical Sciences
Start Date:	October 1, 2008
Expires:	September 30, 2010 (Estimated)
Awarded Amount to Date:	$119491
Investigator(s):	Carlos Salgado salgado@jlab.org (Principal Investigator)
Sponsor:	Norfolk State University 700 Park Avenue Norfolk, VA 23504 757/823-8600
NSF Program(s):	MAJOR RESEARCH INSTRUMENTATION
Field Application(s):	0000099 Other Applications NEC
Program Reference Code(s):	OTHR, 1189, 0000
Program Element Code(s):	1189

ABSTRACT

The funding for this proposal is to build a particle detector for experiments conducted at Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility. The instrumentation to be build will be part of the CLAS12 detector, located in the Hall-B location where high-energy electrons will be incident onto targets of protons and neutrons. The purpose of these experiments is to learn more about the quarks inside the target nucleons. In particular, the quantum mechanical properties of the quarks, such as the orbital angular momentum, can be determined from a combination of the quark radial distributions, correlated with their momentum distributions. Such measurements are known as Generalized Parton Distributions, or GPDs. Other measurements, such as the space-time evolution of the quarks turning into fully-fledged particles after being struck by a high-energy electron, will also be carried out at this detector. These measurements will contribute to our understanding of Quantum Chromodynamics, or QCD, which underlies the fundamental force between quarks and gluons. In the process, the technology to detect particles from electron-scattering reactions will be extended to higher energies. Improvements in technology are the cornerstone of advances in a range of applications such as medical imaging.

The detector components funded by this MRI will be constructed at the following institutions: Ohio University, James Madison University, College of William and Mary, and Norfolk State University, with labor provided by students (both undergraduate and graduate), postdoctoral researchers and faculty, in collaboration with Jefferson Lab staff. This provides valuable technical experience for the students and postdocs that will enhance their career opportunities.

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