Anomalous Soft Photons in Hadron Production

TL;DR

This paper introduces a quantum field theory model explaining the excess of soft photons observed during hadron production, linking oscillations of color and electric charge densities in flux tubes to photon emission.

Contribution

It proposes a novel model connecting meson and anomalous soft photon production via oscillating color and electric charge densities in flux tubes.

Findings

Model explains excess soft photons in high-energy collisions.

Predicts simultaneous production of soft photons and mesons.

Suggests new experimental tests for the model.

Abstract

Anomalous soft photons in excess of what is expected from electromagnetic bremsstrahlung have been observed in association with the production of hadrons, mostly mesons, in high-energy (K+)p, (pi+)p, (pi-)p, pp, and (e+)(e-) collisions. We propose a model for the simultaneous production of anomalous soft photons and mesons in quantum field theory, in which the meson production arises from the oscillation of color charge densities of the quarks of the underlying vacuum in the flux tube. As a quark carries both a color charge and an electric charge, the oscillation of the color charge densities will be accompanied by the oscillation of electric charge densities, which will in turn lead to the simultaneous production of soft photons during the meson production process. How the production of these soft photons may explain the anomalous soft photon data will be discussed. Further experimental measurements to test the model will be proposed.