Structure of lightest nuclei in the visible Universe

Abstract

The simplest atomic nucleus, deuteron, provides key insights into the strong nuclear interactions among quarks and gluons that shape the visible universe. We present the first attempt to calculate the internal structure of the deuteron by incorporating hidden-color degrees of freedom, modeling it as an effective mixture of singlet-singlet and octet-octet color clusters beyond the traditional proton-neutron picture. By employing the separation of variables for the light-front two-cluster bound-state equation, we explore how these hidden color correlations shape both its spin and electromagnetic structure. We incorporate the transverse and longitudinal dynamics by two Schr\"odinger-like equations, namely the light-front holography and the 't Hooft equation, respectively. Our predictions of the electromagnetic form factors and structure functions, including tensor-polarized function, align well with experimental data, offering insights into the partonic structure of the deuteron. Its tensor property could pave the way for a new era in spin physics, guiding future experimental investigations.