Hadrons in Nuclei: Experiments and Perspectives Original Research Article

The question of the origin of hadron masses is one major issue in the understanding of the strong interaction. The challenge is addressed by searching for indications of in-medium modifications of hadron properties and studying hadrons in nuclei. The quest driving in-medium studies is to understand the origin of hadron masses in the context of spontaneous chiral symmetry breaking. The experimental status of the modification of hadron properties in the nuclear medium is discussed including experiments using hadron, heavy-ion, and photon beams. Particular emphasis is put on the production of light mesons from nuclei. A number of experimental programs is underway to provide a detailed comparison of properties of free hadrons and hadrons embedded in nuclei. The existing experimental efforts are discussed and possibilities are introduced for the new WASA-at-COSY facility, initially focussed on investigations of symmetries and symmetry breaking, to contribute to the field.