After taking over the pen and paper from Xu Chuan, Witten began to check the analytical data on the manuscript paper.
As a scholar who has won the Fields Medal, he has very strong mathematical abilities. It can even be said that no one in the entire physics world has better mathematical abilities than him.
Since Xu Chuan had already completed the data analysis and calculations, it would not take him much time to verify the data.
Soon, he completed the calculation of the analysis data on the manuscript paper.
The results are completely correct, and there are no calculation problems with these data on the manuscript paper.
From this point of view, the result seems obvious.
The traditional 'Electron Proton Scattering Atomic Charge Radius Experiment' uses a metal container as the experimental device for the hydrogen atom cloud due to the limitations of the equipment.
It is an indisputable fact that high-energy electron beams will scatter and interfere with metals when they collide with hydrogen atom clouds after entering experimental equipment.
This scattering interference was noticed by physicists from the beginning.
After all, it is interference, and it is impossible for physicists to leave such a loophole problem.
Therefore, at the beginning, physicists calculated this scattering interference, but found that the scattering interference caused by high-energy electron beams and metal containers was very weak, so weak that it almost did not affect the calculation of the proton's radius data.
Since it has no effect, this scattering interference has been ignored in subsequent experiments.
However, judging from the analysis data on the manuscript paper, this scattering interference is not weak, but part of the interference is converted into energy level data.
As for this part of the data, the traditional calculation method seems not to have noticed it, thus causing a certain deviation.
From this point of view, the scattering interference caused by high-energy electron beams and metal containers is indeed stronger than previously calculated by physicists, and is strong enough to affect the proton's radius data.
...
Putting down the ballpoint pen in his hand, Witten stared at the manuscript paper on the table with some confusion.
Judging from the analysis and calculation results, the mystery causing the proton radius gap is probably here.
But a problem that has troubled the physics community for several years and been studied by countless people has been solved in this way?
Is this a little too fast?
But when it comes to a student like myself, does it seem reasonable?
He has solved a world-class mathematical conjecture problem in the past year. Although the proton radius puzzle is very famous, judging from current data analysis, it is far less difficult than the mathematical conjecture.
If there is an optimized experimental plan, coupled with excellent data analysis and observation skills, it is actually not difficult to solve this problem.
In the past, no one has been able to find the cause of the problem. It lies in the backwardness of experimental equipment and experimental methods, as well as the interference caused by past erroneous data.
The reason seems to be very simple. It has always been hidden somewhere, but no one has been able to dig it out.
High-energy physics and particle physics are like this. They are based on experimental equipment such as various particle colliders and accelerators, and the role of physicists in them is basically data analysis.
Theoretical physicists put forward ideas and ideas and refine them into theories, and various devices verify them and either confirm or deny them.
Just like the Standard Model, it has been improved bit by bit through theory and practice.
.......
"Frank, look at this."
After recovering from his daze, Witten breathed a sigh of relief and handed the manuscript paper in his hand to Frank Wilczek who was standing beside him.
Wilzek took the manuscript with some curiosity and confusion. He knew that his friend Witten had accepted a student, but he had not heard of any new research projects he had recently.
"The mystery of the proton's radius? When did your research direction change from string theory to this aspect?"
After scanning the title on the manuscript paper, Wilzek raised his head and looked curiously at his friend Witten.
He is naturally aware of the mystery of the proton radius, a cutting-edge issue in the world of particle physics, and is also very aware of the importance of this issue.
Witten did not answer directly, but just said: "Read it first."
Hearing this, Wilzek returned his attention to the manuscript paper in his hand.
As more and more information entered his eyes, he couldn't help but sit up straight.
"The proton diameter of 0.831 femtometers..."
"Abnormal energy level data..."
"Scattering interference caused by the reaction of high-energy electron beams with metal containers..."
Pieces of important information quickly formed a thread in his mind, linking the entire cause and effect.
"Interesting, is this your latest research result?"
After flipping through the manuscript information in his hand, Wilzek looked at Witten with interest and asked.
"how?"
Witten asked.
"A great new discovery. Maybe the difference in the radius of the proton is really caused by this problem, and judging from this data, the radius of the proton is much smaller than our previous calculations."
"I'm just curious, why did you suddenly start studying this problem and stop working on string theory?" Wilczek asked curiously.
Witten shook his head slightly and denied: "This is not my research project."
Hearing this, Wilzek raised the manuscript information in his hand, grinned as if you were trying not to fool him, and said, "Except for you, I can't think of anyone else in the physics world who has such a profound mathematical foundation."
"Although the calculation process above is not very complicated, the overall fluency is so high that few people in the entire physics community can do it."
Witten smiled and said: "It's really not me this time, and the person who wrote these calculations is standing in front of you."
Wilzek was immediately startled and looked at Xu Chuan in surprise: "Are you sure?"
"certainly."
Witten nodded and continued: "I should have gone back to Princeton more than half a month ago. The reason why I haven't gone back is because I was waiting for this."
"That's really incredible." Wilzek sighed, staring at Xu Chuan one after another.
"I actually didn't expect this problem to be solved."
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! Witten also sighed, did not continue, looked at Xu Chuan, and asked: "Have you applied for the report meeting?"
"I applied, in three days." Xu Chuan replied.
"Is there enough time? If you rely on these data alone, I'm afraid you can't make a final conclusion. You still need more data to verify it."
Xu Chuan: "It should be no problem. I have enough raw data and a project team. They can also help."
"Three days are indeed a bit rushed, but working overtime should be able to produce some verification data."
"In fact, it doesn't matter whether it is definite or not. It is enough to preliminarily verify that the difference in radius of the proton is indeed caused by the scattering interference of the metal container."
"I think the physics community will be very interested in this discovery, and there will definitely be other laboratories that will verify it."
Witten raised his head and said with a smile: "Of course, for such an important discovery, it would be unreasonable if there is no movement in the physics world. But now, you need to be well prepared."
Xu Chuan nodded and said, "Then I won't disturb you and Professor Frank."
.......
Xu Chuan left and the room fell into silence.
After a while, Wilzek suddenly sighed: "It seems you have accepted a great student."
Witten nodded and said, "Yes, he is even better than I thought."
"A genius who can skillfully apply mathematical tools to physics, maybe he can make up for your regrets."
Hearing this, Witten shrugged and said, "Who knows? He may be more interested in mathematics than physics."
"Want to make a bet? Maybe in our lifetime we can see him win a Fields Medal or a Nobel Prize?"
Suddenly, Wilzek asked enthusiastically.
"This is unnecessary."
Witten turned to look at his friend, and then said: "It's hard to say about the Nobel Prize, but the Fields Medal is actually only a matter of time away from him. Even if he can't win the Fields Medal in 2018,
By then, he will definitely have a share in 2022."
Hearing this, Wilzek looked at his friend in surprise and asked: "It seems that he has other outstanding mathematical achievements that I don't know about?"
Witten smiled and said: "The most important result in mathematics in the first half of this year, Weyl-Berry's conjecture was solved by him."
"Although this problem is not very famous, it is no less difficult than the Model Conjecture solved by Faltings. If he were not too young, he would definitely have a place in the Fields Medal two years later."
Wilzek's eyes widened in surprise: "Are you sure you're not kidding me? A mathematical problem comparable to Model's conjecture? If I'm not mistaken, he must be in his early twenties at most, right?"
"No, if I remember correctly, according to that country's age calculation method, he seems to have not yet reached the age of nineteen."
Witten thought for a while and replied that the calendar and age algorithm in that country seemed to be somewhat different from other places.
“Incredible.”
"In other words, he solved a world-class mathematical conjecture at the age of eighteen? This is too crazy. Am I crazy, or is the whole world crazy?"
"Who knows." Witten replied, he also couldn't understand his student.
"If that's the case, do you want to make another bet?" Suddenly, Wilzek mentioned the bet again.
"What?" Witten looked over doubtfully.
"I bet he can win both the Fields Medal and the Nobel Prize before we leave this world." Wilczek said with interest: "He may be able to create a new history."
Witten was stunned for a moment and said: "You are really optimistic about him, but no one in history has ever won the Nobel Prize and the Fields Medal at the same time. This is too difficult."
Wilzek smiled and said: "It's just because it's difficult that it's more challenging, isn't it?"
...
Although three days were not enough for Xu Chuan and his project team to complete all data analysis, at least part of the verification materials had been produced.
These things will play a significant role in the report meeting.
Soon, the time for the project acceptance report meeting will come.
On the third day, the report meeting was held as scheduled. The venue was crowded with many physicists.
The mystery of the radius of the proton is still very fascinating.
The inspector sent was sitting in the first row, quietly waiting for the report meeting to begin.
Witten and Frank also came to the venue, sitting in the front row and communicating quietly.
Many physicists from China also came. As Xu Chuan's mentor, Chen Zhengping naturally knew about this lecture and could not miss it.
At this moment, he is sitting with his team and the team from HuaTech University, exchanging the progress and findings of his experimental project.
"Old Cao, how is the situation over there?" In the venue, Chen Zhengping sat together with Academician Cao Hongyuan, who led the team from the University of Science and Technology of China.
Cao Hongyuan's figure is a little thin and he doesn't look very tall, but he looks full of energy.
In fact, this is exactly the case. People who are familiar with him or his team members know that his boss is so energetic that he does not look like an old man in his fifties or close to sixty years old.
I only sleep less than six hours a day, and then I can do research as a whole.
Working under him is really hard, but you can also learn a lot.
Upon hearing the inquiry, Cao Hongyuan shook his head and replied: "The progress is average. Nothing new has been discovered so far. The research on pentaquark particles has also reached a deadlock."
"What about you? How is the situation there? I heard that you applied for the Yukawa coupling experiment of the Higgs particle and the third-generation heavy quark. Is there any good news?"
Hearing this, Chen Zhengping sighed and said: "There is no good news and no bad news. Judging from the current experimental data, the Yukawa coupling phenomenon cannot be found in the collision results."
"However, the other two universities have found nothing so far, and the situation seems to be in a deadlock."
More than a month has passed since the experiment began in mid-July, and there is still no progress in the Yukawa coupling experiment between the Higgs particle and the third-generation heavy quark.
Chen Zhengping was very anxious at first. After all, the Georgia Institute of Technology and the Australian University were also conducting this experimental analysis with NTU.
Both opponents are quite powerful. If they cannot produce results in a short period of time, the value in the collision data will be mined by the other party.
But as time goes by, this anxiety has relaxed a lot.
More than a month has passed. Not only has NTU found nothing, but teams from two universities, Georgia Institute of Technology and Australia University, have also found nothing.
This actually made people relax.
"Forget it, let's not talk about it. I heard that the person holding this report is your student? What is the content?"
Cao Hongyuan skipped this topic and looked at the still empty podium and asked. He was pulled over by Chen Zhengping. He did not read the invitation booklet for the report meeting and was not sure about the content of the report meeting.
"Well, Xu Chuan is currently studying at Princeton, following Deligne and Witten. This report will be related to the mystery of the proton radius. It should be a new method for calculating the proton radius."
Mentioning Xu Chuan, the corner of Chen Zhengping's mouth curled up. This student can be said to be the most outstanding among all the students he has ever taught.
"Xu Chuan, I seem to have heard of his name. He seems to be a math major, right?" Cao Hongyuan asked doubtfully.
"Not really, this guy is a double major in mathematics and physics, but his achievements in mathematics are indeed better than those in physics."
Speaking of this, Chen Zhengping also felt a little melancholy.
"Let's not talk about it for now, he came on stage."
