Spinor space and strong interactions

Abstract

In order to explain the existence of internal quantum numbers of elementary particles, the ordinary space–time position vector is assumed to be a bilinear combination of two basic spinors. It is shown that this assumption leads to the replacement of the inhomogeneous Lorentz group by the (4 + 1) de Sitter group. Using the idea of external and internal space for the description of strongly interacting particles, the assumption provides a simple way of introducing the internal symmetries. The internal symmetry group SU(3) appears naturally connected with the external space, yielding the Gell-Mann -Okubo mass formula.