Gradient Flow for Hadron Structure
I proposed and developed a gradient-flow strategy to compute moments of parton distribution functions from lattice QCD. The approach provides a new route to hadron structure from first principles, combining lattice calculations at positive flow time, controlled continuum extrapolations, and perturbative matching to physical PDF moments.
This research program connects formal developments in quantum field theory, large-scale numerical simulations, high-performance computing, and phenomenological applications to the internal structure of hadrons.
A new gradient flow method
The method uses the gradient flow to define suitable lattice observables at positive flow time. This allows the continuum limit to be taken at fixed flow time before connecting the result to standard PDF moments through a short-flow-time expansion and perturbative matching.
The original method was proposed in:
Moments of parton distribution functions of any order from lattice QCD
Physical Review D 110, L051503
First Numerical Applications and Editors’ Suggestions
The first numerical applications of this strategy focused on the pion. They demonstrate that the method can be implemented in lattice-QCD calculations and used to extract several moments of the pion parton distribution function from first principles.
These results appeared in:
Gradient flow for parton distribution functions: first application to the pion
Physical Review Letters
Selected as an Editors’ Suggestion
DOI: 10.1103/z3wr-zk8n
arXiv: 2509.02472
Moments of parton distribution functions of the pion from lattice QCD using gradient flow
Physical Review D
Selected as an Editors’ Suggestion
DOI: 10.1103/vw4v-nyvw
arXiv: 2510.26738
Press and Outreach
This work has been featured through institutional news and outreach at RWTH Aachen University and the Jülich Supercomputing Centre.
Links will be added here as the press and outreach items become available.
Planned or available coverage:
RWTH Aachen University press release
Jülich Supercomputing Centre news item
APS / Physical Review outreach
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