Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: The HIAF will provide high-intensity, high-quality muon beams with momenta from 0.5 to 7.5 GeV/c. This energy range is uniquely suited for precision muon scattering, bridging the gap between low-energy electron facilities and future high-energy lepton-ion colliders. In particular, HIAF will enable precision measurements with both positive and negative muon beams over a broad kinematic range, complementing existing electron-scattering facilities such as JLab, EicC and EIC. Based on HIAF muon source, the LUNE Collaboration has been established to address several fundamental questions in nuclear and particle physics, including the proton charge radius puzzle, nucleon electromagnetic structure, and the dynamics of quantum electrodynamics and hadronic interactions. The program proceeds in two phases, from elastic scattering to nucleon structure and beyond-Standard-Model searches. The experiment is expected to determine the proton charge radius with a precision of approximately 1.0\% using elastic muon-proton scattering. It will also perform systematic measurements of the proton electromagnetic form factors with both $μ^+$ and $μ^-$ beams, enabling precise studies of two-photon exchange effects and stringent tests of quantum electrodynamics. Beyond elastic scattering, LUNE will investigate TMD, gravitational form factors, and nuclear charge radii, providing new insights into the 3D structure of nucleons and nuclei. The experiment will further address important topics including Coulomb-distortion corrections, nuclear medium effects, and possible signatures of physics beyond the Standard Model. This white paper presents the scientific motivation, detector concept, expected performance, and long-term strategy of LUNE.
Source: arXiv (Cornell University)
Authors: An, Chenlei, Bai, Dong, Bai, Ziyu, Chen, Kai, Chen, Liangwen, Chen, Xiang, Deng, Jianqiao, Dou, Yanxin, Feng, Yicheng, Feng, Zekai, Gao, Lu, Gong, Chang, Guo, Aiqiang, Han, Liang, Han, Qundong, Hou, Defu, Hou, Ruiwen, Hu, Huigang, Ji, Chen, Ji, Xiangdong, Kumar, Vijay, Li, Dikai, Li, Jiuzhao, Li, Liang, Li, Qite, Li, Xin-Qiang, Li, Yuan, Liang, Qiming, Liang, Yutie, Liu, Dong, Liu, Duanqing, Liu, Langtian, Liu, Weijie, Lu, Zejia, Nie, Maowu, Pan, Ziwen, Pei, Hua, Peng, Jinkang, Shi, Shusu, Song, Qintao, Song, Xiaocheng, Sun, Xiangming, Sun, Yichen, Sun, Zhiyu, Wang, Enke, Wang, Fei, Wang, Hulin, Wang, Jike, Wang, Xiang-Peng, Wang, Xiao, Wang, Xin-Nian, Wang, Yangxi, Wang, Yaping, Wang, Zeren Simon, Wei, Yanbing, Xie, Yuehong, Xiong, Weizhi, Xu, Nu, Xu, Yu, Yang, Siqi, Yang, Yadong, Yin, Hang, Yuan, Xing-Bo, Zhang, Dongliang, Zhang, Ranyu, Zhang, Ruitian, Zhang, Xueheng, Zhang, Yu, Zhao, Yuxiang, Zhao, Zihan, Zhou, Shuai, Zhou, XiaoKang, Zhu, Xiaoyu
Institutions: Central China Normal University, Hohai University, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Modern Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Padova, Shenzhen Technology University, Shandong University, Shantou University, Zhengzhou University, South China Normal University, Wuhan University, Hefei University of Technology, Henan Normal University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Particle Physics and Cosmology
Language: English
Subfield: Nuclear and High Energy Physics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7204958519