Particle and Nuclear Physics with High Energy Leptons

TL;DR

This paper discusses how high-energy lepton-nucleon and lepton-nucleus collisions can be used to explore the transition between soft and hard QCD interactions, offering unique insights into partonic processes.

Contribution

It proposes a novel experimental approach using variable atomic number nuclei to study the transition between soft and hard interactions in partonic systems.

Findings

Potential to explore the soft-hard transition in QCD.

Feasibility of experiments at DESY and BNL.

Enhanced control over space-time resolution of partonic processes.

Abstract

In high centre-of-mass energy lepton-nucleon collisions the space-time time resolution of partonic processes can be {\it fine-tuned} within a dynamical range which is unattainable in hadronic collisions. Replacing nucleons by nuclei of variable atomic number enables one to tune the strength of colour forces. The experimental program of high energy electron-nucleon and its extension to electron-nucleus collisions should thus give an unique opportunity to experimentally explore the transition between the soft and hard interactions of small and extended partonic systems. Such an experimental program, which can be realized at DESY and/or BNL with relatively modest cost, is discussed in this talk.