Unveiling Neutron's Secret Layers of Matter

Scientists at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility have made a breakthrough in understanding the internal structure of neutrons, revealing how quarks and gluons contribute to nucleon spin. This was achieved using a new Central Neutron Detector, developed over a decade, which allowed the first direct detection of neutrons in deeply virtual Compton scattering (DVCS) reactions. The findings, published in Physical Review Letters, advance nuclear physics by providing insights into the spin structure of nucleons and addressing the 'nucleon spin crisis.'