A non-linear theory of strong interactions

Abstract

A non-linear theory of mesons, nucleons and hyperons is proposed. The three independent fields of the usual symmetrical pseudo-scalar pion field are replaced by the three directions of a four-component field vector of constant length, conceived in an Euclidean four-dimensional isotopic spin space. This length provides the universal scaling factor, all other constants being dimensionless; the mass of the meson field is generated by a ϕ 4 term; this destroys the continuous rotation group in the iso-space, leaving a ‘cubic’ symmetry group. Classification of states by this group introduces quantum numbers corresponding to isotopic spin and to ‘strangeness’; one consequence is that, at least in elementary interactions, charge is only conserved modulo 4. Furthermore, particle states have not a well-defined parity, but parity is effectively conserved for meson-nucleon interactions. A simplified model, using only two dimensions of space and iso-space, is considered further; the non-linear meson field has solutions with particle character, and an indication is given of the way in which the particle field variables might be introduced as collective co-ordinates describing the dynamics of these particular solutions of the meson field equations, suggesting a unified theory based on the meson field alone.