Title: Particle collision model embedded into an optimization graph theory problem.

Abstract: The color reconnection model is used to explain and predict the production of particles in high energy collisions of hadrons.  According to this model, the colored partons produced in an event  can lose their original color quantum numbers and acquire new ones if this reduces a type of free energy. The computation of the  ground state of the free energy is combinatorially complex.  In this note, we demonstrate the limitations of traditional techniques for solving this problem and the possibility of using quantum solvers.   In particular, we present an Ising model formulation for quantum annealers and a gate-based formulation.

During my time at FermiLab, given by the MSGI-NSF program, I was able to jump in on this problem to help construct an optimal Hamiltonian for quantum annealers. I will be providing an introduction to the physics problem and my contribution in how we used AMPL to help us construct a Hamiltonian.