Message from Division Chair
We extend a warm invitation to researchers across materials science, biology, chemistry, and high-energy physics to showcase their work utilizing global large-scale accelerator facilities—ranging from keV to TeV energy scales with beams such as muons, neutrons, and photons. Hosted as in-person events at Kennesaw State University in Georgia, the Central Department of Physics at Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu and virtually via Webex, this conference serves as a dynamic multidisciplinary bridge where emerging scholars and seasoned experts can exchange groundbreaking ideas both in person and via Webex. Please, join us in fostering this collaborative environment to ensure a successful and impactful gathering for the global scientific community.
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Invited Speaker
Visualizing the Proton
The proton is the nucleus of the hydrogen atom, the lightest and most abundant chemical element in the universe. A major current thrust of physics is to understand the structure and properties of the proton in terms of the fundamental quarks and gluons of the Standard Model. Experimentally, we have new measurements where electrons are scattered from the proton: in the final-state the proton is left intact and another particle, e.g. photon or meson, is produced. The goal is to visualize the proton in 3D with the existing Jefferson Lab accelerator and the future Electron-Ion Collider. The talk will outline the scientific motivation, describe current and planned experiments and present animations of the quantum proton structure.
Division Schedule
Please look below for detailed schedule.
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Abstract Number: ANPA2026N00086 Presenting Author: Richard G. Milner (Invited) Co-Authors: nan Presenter's Affiliation: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA Title: Visualizing the Proton Location: Virtual Presentation Show/Hide Abstract The proton is the nucleus of the hydrogen atom, the lightest and most abundant chemical element in the universe. A major current thrust of physics is to understand the structure and properties of the proton in terms of the fundamental quarks and gluons of the Standard Model. Experimentally, we have new measurements where electrons are scattered from the proton: in the final-state the proton is left intact and another particle, e.g. photon or meson, is produced. The goal is to visualize the proton in 3D with the existing Jefferson Lab accelerator and the future Electron-Ion Collider. The talk will outline the scientific motivation, describe current and planned experiments and present animations of the quantum proton structure.
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Abstract Number: ANPA2026N00087 Presenting Author: Muhammad Farooq Co-Authors: nan Presenter's Affiliation: University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, 03824 Title: Studies of The UNH Polarized Target System for The $b_1$ And $a_{zz}$ Experiments at Jefferson Lab Location: Virtual Presentation Show/Hide Abstract The University of New Hampshire (UNH) Nuclear Physics Group operates a specialized facility for Dynamic Nuclear Polarization (DNP), providing a critical testbed for high-luminosity polarized target experiments. The system features a 5 T superconducting magnet and a 4He evaporation refrigerator maintained at 1 K. To support long-duration operations, a new helium recapture and reliquefaction system has been integrated, featuring a 40 L/day liquefier and high-pressure recovery infrastructure to recycle cryogenic helium. The microwave setup utilizes a 140 GHz system, up-converted from a 12 GHz source via a 12× multiplier, to drive polarization within a target cup containing the sample material, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR)/selective semi-saturated RF (ssRF) coils, and a microwave mirror. Continuous polarization monitoring is conducted via a high-precision NMR subsystem controlled by a LANL VME crate and a custom LabVIEW-based DAQ. Recent studies at UNH have successfully demonstrated the system’s capabilities, achieving approximately 50% vector polarization in irradiated deuterated butanol (d-butanol) during cooldowns. These developments serve as essential preparation for the E12-13-011 (b1) and E12-15-005 (Azz ) experiments [1, 2] in Jefferson Lab’s Hall C, where ssRF and adiabtic fast passage (AFP) will be employed for tensor enhancement.
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Abstract Number: ANPA2026N00088 Presenting Author: Noah Wuerfel Co-Authors: Anatoli Zelenski; Andrei Poblaguev; Andrei Sukhanov; Christopher Ianzano; Deepak Raparia; Edward Beebe; Grigor Atoian; James Maxwell; John Ritter; Masahiro Okamura; Matthew Musgrave; Richard Milner; Sergey Kondrashev; Shunsuke Ikeda; Steven Trabocchi; Takeshi Kanesue Presenter's Affiliation: MIT Title: Realizing A Polarized 3he++ Ion Source for the Eic Location: Virtual Presentation Show/Hide Abstract A high intensity (2 x 10^11 ions per pulse) polarized 3He++ ion source is being developed at BNL for use at the future Electron Ion Collider (EIC). The helium gas will be polarized using a novel technique based on metastability-exchange optical pumping in the 5T field of the existing Electron Beam Ion Source (EBIS), where it can be ionized and prepared for injection into the Alternating Gradient Synchrotron (AGS). An infrared laser system has been developed for optical pumping and measuring the polarization of the gas inside of the EBIS field. Previous results in a test setup have shown up to 80% polarization for ultra-pure 3He in an "open" cell configuration, with isolation valve and refilling tubes closed. Now, the setup has been moved into an exact copy of the EBIS magnet to prepare for final integration and injection into AGS. In this talk, the Metastability Exchange Optical Pumping scheme used to polarize the 3He++ sample will be presented and the current state of the project at BNL will be discussed.
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Abstract Number: ANPA2026N00089 Presenting Author: Sabin Thapa Co-Authors: Biaogang Wu, Ramona Vogt, Ralf Rapp Presenter's Affiliation: Kent State University Title: Quarkonium as a Probe of QCD Matter: Production and Suppression from Small Systems to Heavy-ion Collisions at Rhic and the Lhc Location: Virtual Presentation Show/Hide Abstract Quarkonium production in high-energy nuclear collisions provides a powerful probe of QCD matter across a wide range of system sizes and energy densities. In large systems such as nucleus--nucleus collisions at RHIC and the LHC, quarkonium suppression encodes information about in-medium color screening, dissociation, quantum decoherence, and transport in the quark--gluon plasma. In smaller systems, including proton--nucleus and deuteron--nucleus collisions, quarkonium observables offer an opportunity to study the interplay of cold nuclear matter effects, possible hot-medium effects, formation-time physics, and the onset of collective QCD dynamics.
In this talk, I will present a broad overview of recent theoretical work on quarkonium production and suppression from small systems to heavy-ion collisions, with emphasis on bottomonium and charmonium phenomenology at RHIC and the LHC. Topics include open-quantum-system descriptions of quarkonium evolution in hot QCD matter, semiclassical and transport-based approaches to suppression and regeneration, and the role of realistic medium backgrounds in connecting theory with experimental observables. I will also discuss ongoing work on charmonia in $pA$ and $dA$ collisions and how comparisons across collision systems can help disentangle hot-medium effects from cold nuclear matter contributions.
Taken together, these studies support a unified picture in which quarkonium serves as a precision probe of deconfinement, in-medium dynamics, and the space-time evolution of strongly interacting matter in both small and large collision systems.
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Abstract Number: ANPA2026N00094 Presenting Author: Jordan O'Kronley Co-Authors: James Maxwell; Pushpa Pandey; Hao Lu; Dien Nguyen; Richard Milner; Christopher Keith Presenter's Affiliation: University of Tennessee Knoxville Title: Development of a High-Field ³He MEOP Target with a focus on RF Plasma Excitation Location: Virtual Presentation Show/Hide Abstract Metastability Exchange Optical Pumping (MEOP) of ³He in high magnetic fields is a technique for generating highly polarized ³He nuclei for use in applications including polarized neutron targets and polarized ion sources. At Jefferson Lab, we are constructing and evaluating a high-field MEOP system designed to operate at pressures up to 100 mbar and magnetic fields as high as 5 T. This effort is intended to guide the development of a future double-cell target for a neutron spin measurement in the CLAS12 spectrometer. The apparatus incorporates a refillable glass cell with tunable pressure control allowing systematic investigation of polarization performance across a range of experimental conditions. In this talk I will discuss the physics of RF plasmas, how it’s used for polarizing ³He, the measurement technique used for characterizing the RF features, as well as some pressure dependent RF plasma results from a fillable He3 cell.
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Abstract Number: ANPA2026N00095 Presenting Author: Sagar Regmi Co-Authors: nan Presenter's Affiliation: Idaho State University Title: PMT Characterization and Electronics Testing for the Moller Experiment. Location: Virtual Presentation Show/Hide Abstract The MOLLER experiment at Jefferson Lab (Hall A) is a next-generation parity-violating electron scattering experiment designed to measure the weak charge of the electron with unprecedented precision. By scattering an 11 GeV longitudinal polarized electron beam off a liquid hydrogen target, the experiment seeks to search for physics beyond the Standard Model. Achieving the required precision, a measurement of the parity-violating asymmetry to within 0.7 parts per billion, demands an experimental apparatus with extremely low systematic noise and exceptional detector stability.
This presentation focuses on the critical characterization and testing phase of the detector subsystems currently being prepared for installation. A primary component of the MOLLER detector stack involves Photomultiplier Tubes (PMTs), which must exhibit high gain stability and good linearity to handle the high-integrated flux of the experiment.
My work involves the rigorous performance testing of these PMTs to map their response curves and ensure they operate within strict "non-linearity" tolerances, where even a fraction of a percent deviation can impact the final physics result.
In addition to PMT characterization, I am responsible for the electronics testing and data analysis of the signal processing chain. This includes validating the custom electronics boards that digitize the PMT signals and ensuring the data acquisition (DAQ) system maintains high integrity under high-rate conditions. Through systematic bench testing and the development of automated analysis routines, we ensure that every component installed in Hall A meets the rigorous demands of the MOLLER experiment. These efforts are essential for minimizing instrumental asymmetries and providing the foundation for a successful physics run.
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Abstract Number: ANPA2026N00091 Presenting Author: Jiwan Poudel Co-Authors: nan Presenter's Affiliation: Jefferson Lab Title: Tensor Polarized Physics Programs at Jefferson Lab Location: Virtual Presentation Show/Hide Abstract The deuteron is a basic spin-1 nucleus with the tensor polarized structure, which
cannot be naively constructed combining the proton and neutron structure. The
tensor structure of the deuteron provides unique insights into the quarks and gluons
distributions and their dynamics within the nucleus. It is studied through inclusive
and semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering of electrons on tensor polarized deuterons.
Achieving high tensor polarization for such experimental measurements had been a
challenge. Significant progress has recently been made in the enhancement of the
tensor polarization of the target, opening up a new window for experimental studies
of the deuteron tensor structure. In this talk, I will summarize the advances in the
tensor polarized target and the tensor structure functions of the deuteron, and the
experimental schemes to extract these functions at Jefferson Lab.
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Abstract Number: ANPA2026N00092 Presenting Author: Manil Khatiwada Co-Authors: Nabin Bhusal;chandra bahadur singh; yogesh singh maharjan; niraj dhital Presenter's Affiliation: Central Department of Physics Title: Theoretical Modeling of Magnetic Field Evolution in Accretion Flows onto Schwarzschild Black Holes Location: In-Person Presentation, CDP Show/Hide Abstract This work presents a fully analytical, time-dependent GRMHD model describing the evolu-
tion of large-scale poloidal magnetic fields in the subsonic region of accretion flows onto a
Schwarzschild black hole. Beginning with weak uniform and parabolic initial field configura-
tions, the study derives exact solutions for the radial and polar magnetic components in both Keplerian and sub-Keplerian flows, incorporating flux freezing, relativistic fluid trajectories, and differential rotation. The results show that inward advection and radial compression naturally amplify the radial field , producing a quasi-radial magnetic structure near the black hole, while the polar component grows through shear and exhibits strong angular dependence. Keplerian flows generate more structured and strongly amplified fields due to higher rotational shear, whereas sub-Keplerian flows exhibit stronger radial compression but weaker shear-driven growth. Magnetic pressure and plasma-beta calculations confirm a magnetically dominated inner disk (?<1) for all cases, independent of initial field geometry.
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Abstract Number: ANPA2026N00093 Presenting Author: Nabin Bhusal Co-Authors: Manil Khatiwada, Yogesh Singh Maharjan, Chandra Bahadur Singh, Niraj Dhital Presenter's Affiliation: CDP Title: Relativistic and Pseudo-newtonian Effects on Equipartition Magnetic Fields in Black Hole Accretion Location: In-Person Presentation, CDP Show/Hide Abstract \begin{abstract}
In astrophysical accretion flows onto compact objects, the interplay between gravity, plasma dynamics, and magnetic fields governs the observable emission and feedback processes. A useful simplifying assumption in estimating magnetic field strengths is equipartition, wherein the magnetic energy density is comparable to the local kinetic energy density of the infalling material. This paper examines the stationary, spherically symmetric equipartition magnetic field profile under three different gravitational descriptions: the fully relativistic Schwarzschild metric, a pseudo-Newtonian Paczy\'nski--Wiita potential that captures the existence of an innermost stable orbit, and the Reissner--Nordstr\"om spacetime, which includes the effects of a central electric charge. In each case, we parameterize magnetic back-reaction on the inflow velocity via a constant factor $\varepsilon \leq 1$.
The analysis yields a characteristic $B \propto r^{-5/4}$ scaling at large radii in all three models, with steeper growth near the event horizon in the pseudo-Newtonian case and a weakening correction factor $(1 - q^2 / r_g r)^{1/4}$ for a charged black hole. These analytic estimates provide a foundational reference for interpreting numerical simulations and observational constraints on magnetic fields in black-hole accretion environments.
\textbf{Keywords}:{accretion, accretion disks -- black hole physics -- Kerr spacetime -- radiatively inefficient accretion flows (RIAFs) -- advection-dominated accretion flows (ADAFs) -- general relativistic magnetohydrodynamics (GRMHD) -- sub-Keplerian flows -- relativistic astrophysics}
\end{abstract}
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Abstract Number: ANPA2026N00090 Presenting Author: Bishnu Datt Pandey Co-Authors: Toshiyuki Gogami; Sho Nagao; Satoshi N. Nakamura; Ravindu Kumaragamage; Presenter's Affiliation: Virginia Military Institute Title: The Next Generation of Hypernuclear Experiments at Jefferson Lab Location: In-Person Presentation, Kennesaw Show/Hide Abstract The next generation of hypernuclear experiments are scheduled to take place at Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility in 2027. Five experiments have already been approved, and an additional proposal is currently under study for possible submission in the near future. The HKS collaboration is actively preparing all aspects of the program, including the required detectors, hardware, and software systems. The first Experimental Readiness Review (ERR) was successfully completed in 2024, and a second review is planned for May 2026. These experiments will utilize the Hall C spectrometer and a range of light, medium-heavy, and heavy nuclear targets to address key open questions in nuclear physics. They are expected to provide valuable insights into hypernuclear interactions, which are important for understanding the long-standing hyperon puzzle in neutron stars and the charge symmetry breaking (CSB) problem in A = 4 mirror nuclei. This presentation will provide an overview of the upcoming experiments and highlight current progress and future plans.
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