Physics case of the very high energy electron--proton collider, VHEeP

TL;DR

This paper discusses the concept and potential of a very high energy electron-proton collider (VHEeP) with 9 TeV center-of-mass energy, enabling exploration of extremely low parton momentum fractions, expanding the frontiers of particle physics research.

Contribution

It introduces the VHEeP collider concept, highlighting its unique capability to access unprecedented low x values at high energies, and summarizes recent developments and future directions.

Findings

Access to x down to 10^{-8} at Q^2 of 1 GeV^2

Complementary to other proposed electron-proton colliders

Potential to explore new physics at ultra-high energies

Abstract

The possibility of a very high energy electron-proton (VHEeP) collider with a centre-of-mass energy of 9 TeV has been presented at previous workshops. These proceedings briefly summarise the VHEeP concept, which was recently published, and developments since then, as well as future directions. At the VHEeP collider, with a centre-of-mass energy 30 times greater than HERA, parton momentum fractions, $x$, down to about $10^{-8}$ are accessible for photon virtualities, $Q^2$, of 1 GeV$^2$. This extension in the kinematic range to low $x$ complements proposals for other electron-proton or electron-ion colliders.