Hadron Spectroscopy for Particle Physics

Dear Colleagues,

The strong interaction is one of the four fundamental forces in nature. In the Standard Model of particle physics (SM), it is described by quantum chromodynamics (QCD). The non-perturbative property of QCD at the low-energy scale has greatly limited the knowledge on the strong interaction and remains a key puzzle in particle physics. Hadrons are made of quarks and gluons confined by strong interaction. The study of hadron spectroscopy can act as a unique probe with which to investigate the non-perturbative behavior of QCD. This constituted a main driving force of particle physics in the early years and remains at the frontier of QCD studies. Conventional hadrons refer to mesons consisting of quark–antiquark and baryons with three (anti)quarks. According to the quark model, the building blocks of conventional hadrons are not yet completed, leaving rich opportunities for further exploration. Hadrons with a nonconventional composition are called exotic hadrons. Various candidates for exotic hadrons with different compositions and binding schemes have been proposed, such as the compact multiquark state, molecular state, meson–gluon hybrid state, glueball, etc. In the past few decades, several exotic hadron candidates have been observed experimentally, leading to a breakthrough in hadron spectroscopy. Despite ongoing significant efforts, there is still no single theoretical picture that can accommodate all the experimental discoveries in this field. This volume aims to collect and present a variety of papers on hadron spectroscopy, ranging from experimental measurements to theoretical perspectives, and including both current studies and future prospects, to provide new insights into the internal structure and dynamics of hadrons and enhance the knowledge of QCD.

Dr. Liupan An
Guest Editor

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