Systematic investigation of trace anomaly contribution in nucleon mass

Abstract

In this work, under the framework of the vector meson dominance model, the trace anomaly contribution value inside neutrons is extracted for the first time based on vector meson photoproduction data. Furthermore, we systematically compare and analyze the trace anomaly contributions of protons and neutrons. The results show that the trace anomaly contributions of protons and neutrons are close, which indirectly confirms that their internal structures and dynamic properties may have certain similarities. In addition, the main factors affecting the extraction of the trace anomaly contribution of nucleons are discussed in detail. This study not only provides a theoretical basis for us to better understand the source of nucleon mass but also makes a useful exploration and discussion on how to extract the trace anomaly contribution of nucleons more accurately in the future. Published by the American Physical Society 2024