EIC Beyond ePIC: Science Case for a Second Detector and a Muon-Ion Collider

The future Electron-Ion Collider (EIC) is poised to expand our understanding of quantum chromodynamics (QCD) by providing unprecedented insights into the structure and behavior of nuclear matter. While the ePIC detector at the EIC represents a significant leap forward, the potential scientific gains from a second detector are substantial and warrant detailed exploration.

This presentation delves into the compelling science case for a second EIC detector, highlighting the enhanced capabilities and complementary perspectives it could offer. A second detector would enable the cross-verification of results, mitigate systematic uncertainties, and explore different kinematic regions with high precision. Furthermore, it could be optimized to address specific physics questions that remain challenging for the ePIC detector alone.

This talk also discusses the concept of a muon-ion collider (muIC), a recent proposal for a future upgrade of the EIC facility planned as a joint effort of the nuclear and particle physics communities. The muIC will extend the kinematic coverage of deep inelastic scattering physics at the EIC by more than an order of magnitude in Q² and x, opening a new QCD frontier to address many fundamental scientific questions in nuclear and particle physics. It could provide deeper insights into gluon saturation phenomena, the spin structure of nucleons, and the emergence of hadronic matter from quarks and gluons. The muIC's potential to probe higher energy scales and finer spatial resolutions makes it a promising avenue for future research.

Our discussion is supported by preliminary simulations and feasibility studies, which demonstrate the prospective scientific advantages and technical challenges associated with these advancements. By expanding the EIC's detection capabilities and exploring innovative collider configurations, we aim to push the boundaries of QCD research and unlock new frontiers in nuclear physics.