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

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.110.L051503

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2311.18704

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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