Terrestrial Probes of Neutron Star Droplets

Since the discovery of quarks, nuclear physicists have been striving to understand the relationship between the effective low-resolution description of nuclei using protons and neutrons, and their underlying higher-resolution description using quarks and gluons. The transition between these regimes is especially crucial for modeling high-density nuclear systems such as the outer cores of neutron stars, where the distance between nucleons is comparable to their radii. 

In this talk, I will explore how we unveil short-distance nuclear interactions by studying the temporal fluctuations of Short-Range Correlated (SRC) nucleon pairs within atomic nuclei. I will discuss how we use high-energy electron scattering measurements to isolate and probe the properties of SRCs, and present findings that point to the discovery of new universal quark-gluon dynamics emerging at short distances characteristic of SRCs. 

If time permits, I will also provide an outlook on how these studies will advance with the new US Electron-Ion Collider, currently under construction with a $2.4 billion investment at Brookhaven National Laboratory in Long Island.