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DOE Pulse
  • Number 311  |
  • May 10, 2010

Calculating a particle spectrum in lattice QCD

Christopher Thomas

Christopher Thomas

In a quiet office at DOE’s Jefferson Lab, you can find Christopher Thomas at his desk poring over computer code. A physicist, Thomas is working to combine theory work with existing computer code to render parts of the theory of quantum chromodynamics into a computer-solvable form, called lattice QCD.

The theory of quantum chromodynamics, or QCD, describes how quarks make up protons, neutrons and other particles. Thomas is particularly interested in how QCD describes mesons, which are particles made of a quark and an anti-quark.

"I'm working on how to formulate the problem—how to write code to use lattice QCD to produce the results that we can then interpret," Thomas said. "Then we try to relate the results to experiment and models."

The oldest of three sons, Thomas was born in Bristol in the U.K. He said he has always been attracted to science and is interested in how things work.

"Originally I was attracted to aspects of chemistry, being fascinated by the structure of atoms and how they built up. But by the time I was in secondary school, I had discovered quarks," he recalled.

Thomas received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Cambridge and then completed his Ph.D. in Theoretical Particle Physics at Oxford. He came to Jefferson Lab in October 2008 as a Theory Postdoctoral Fellow.

"I have really enjoyed working with Jo Dudek, Robert Edwards and David Richards as part of the Hadron Spectrum Collaboration. We use Lattice Quantum Chromodynamics to calculate the spectrum and properties of mesons, performing calculations on the large computers here at the lab."

Thomas had only been to the U.S. once before coming to work at Jefferson Lab and has enjoyed seeing more of the country during his stay, including Seattle, Denver and the Washington, D.C. area. He says the biggest shock on arriving in the U.S. was the fact that you have to drive everywhere.

“I was much more accustomed to an environment where biking and walking were the norm," says Thomas, an avid hiker.

In addition to research, Thomas also co-organizes seminars for the Theory Center.

"I’m enjoying my time at the lab and especially the interactions with the many people who work here and visit. It’s a great place to be at this time in physics."

Submitted by DOE's Jefferson Lab